Rank
164
B-
Ayer Shirley School District
3 schools · 1 high school · 2 elementary schools · Ayer, Shirley · Regional District
The Ayer Shirley Regional School District encompasses the towns of Ayer and Shirley, located approximately 30 miles northwest of Boston in north-central Massachusetts. Both communities are suburban towns with assessed single-family home values in the mid-$500,000 range, reflecting modest property wealth compared to nearby affluent communities. The district ranks #164 out of 328 Massachusetts school districts, with a strong graduation rate of 96.8% and serves students through Ayer Shirley Regional High School and two elementary schools. The area has historical ties to the American industrial era, with Ayer's origins as a railroad hub and Shirley's connections to early New England manufacturing.
Avg MCAS ELA
44.3%
#187 of 326
Avg MCAS Math
41.3%
#181 of 326
Avg SAT
1,099
#176 of 290
Attendance
94.6%
#62 of 328
Graduation Rate
96.8%
#92 of 288
AP Pass Rate
68.6%
#165 of 278
Per-Pupil Spending
$19,014
#262 of 325
Avg Teacher Salary
$85,887
#214 of 325
MCAS Performance by Grade
| Grade | ELA M+E% | Math M+E% | Sci M+E% | Avg Score | Students |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 38% | 42% | — | 494 | 160 |
| Grade 4 | 38% | 41% | — | 496 | 113 |
| Grade 5 | 33% | 31% | 48% | 491 | 136 |
| Grade 6 | 44% | 45% | — | 497 | 137 |
| Grade 7 | 37% | 36% | — | 491 | 126 |
| Grade 8 | 54% | 37% | 60% | 498 | 134 |
| Grade 10 | 57% | 38% | 57% | 499 | 100 |
| HS Science | — | — | 53% | 499 | 92 |
Showing 2025 data
Student Demographics
White: 66.5%
Asian: 5%
Hispanic: 15.8%
Black: 7.7%
Multi-Race: 4.5%
Am. Indian: 0.5%
Pac. Islander: 0.1%
Female: 47%Male: 53%
High Schools in Ayer Shirley School District
Rank
Grade
School
SAT
MCAS ELA
MCAS Math
AP
Grad
130
B
Ayer Shirley Regional High School
SAT
1,099
ELA
58%
Math
40%
Grad
96.8%
130
B
Ayer Shirley Regional High School
1,099
58%
40%
68.6%
96.8%
Elementary Schools in Ayer Shirley School District
Rank
Grade
School
MCAS ELA
MCAS Math
Attend.
Class Size
379
B-
Page Hilltop Elementary School
ELA
47%
Math
54%
Attend.
94.5%
Class
20
379
B-
Page Hilltop Elementary School
47%
54%
94.5%
20
660
C
Lura A. White Elementary School
ELA
28%
Math
30%
Attend.
95.7%
Class
20
660
C
Lura A. White Elementary School
28%
30%
95.7%
20
District Operations
Attendance
#62 of 328Attendance Rate94.6%
Avg Days Absent9
Chronically Absent (10%+)13.1%
Chronically Absent (20%+)2.7%
Per-Pupil Expenditure
#262 of 325In-District Per Pupil$18,739
Total Per Pupil$19,014
Total FTE Students1,905
Teacher Salaries
#214 of 325Average Salary$85,887
Teacher FTE Count140
Salary vs. Town Income2.0x(above town avg)
Teacher salary is 2.0x the town's per capita income ($43,053). Teachers earn well above the community per capita income. The MA median ratio is about 1.9x.
Class Size & Populations
#253 of 327Avg Class Size19
English Learners7.2%
Students w/ Disabilities19.4%
Total Students1,728
Staffing & Retention
#214 of 327Teacher Retention85.3%
Principal Retention75%
Total Teachers143
Attendance: 2024-2025 · Expenditure: 2024 · Salaries: 2023-2024 · Class Size: 2024-2025 · Staffing: 2025
Town Data
Ayer
Avg Assessed Value
$571,644
#143 of 235
Avg Tax Bill
$6,625
Income Per Capita
$47,119
#155 of 235
Tax Bill Rank
#185
of 341 towns
Avg Assessed Value is the mean assessed value of single-family homes only (MA property class 101 — excludes condos, multi-family, and apartments). MA law requires assessment at 100% of fair market value. Income Per Capita is total town income divided by population, derived from MA state income tax returns (not Census surveys). It includes wages, investment income, and capital gains, so wealthy towns can have very high figures. The MA median is about $48K. Tax bill rank orders towns by average single-family tax bill, highest to lowest.
Tax & Bond Details
Residential Tax Rate1.16%
Tax as % of Income14.06%(typical)
Bond RatingAA+(excellent)
Tax rate is the effective residential rate (tax bill ÷ assessed value). Tax as % of income measures how much of residents’ income goes to property taxes. The MA median is about 14%; below 10% is low (wealthier towns with high incomes relative to home values), above 16% is above average. Bond rating reflects the town’s creditworthiness for borrowing. AAA is the highest possible rating (strong fiscal management), meaning the town can borrow at the lowest interest rates. AA+ is excellent, AA is very good.
New Growth
$56.7M+4.07% levy growth(strong)
Residential$6.8M
Commercial/Industrial$49.9M
Residential Share6.1%(diverse)
New growth measures new taxable value from construction and development (not rising home prices). In Massachusetts, Proposition 2\u00BD limits annual property tax increases to 2.5% of the prior year\u2019s levy. New growth revenue is automatically added on top of this 2.5% base increase \u2014 it does not require a vote. This town’s total levy growth is about 6.6% (2.5% base + 4.07% from new growth). The MA median is about 1.2%; above 1.5% is strong, below 0.8% signals limited development. The residential share (6.1%) shows how much comes from homes vs. commercial/industrial. When most growth is residential, homeowners carry more of the tax burden. More commercial/industrial growth is generally better for homeowners because businesses share the cost.
Municipal Free Cash
$2.9M8.1% of operating budget
Free cash is the town's unencumbered surplus funds. 5-10% of budget is considered healthy. Operating budget: $35.8M.
Where Children Attend School
Regional: 938(80.9%)
Vocational: 54(4.7%)
Charter: 24(2.1%)
Private: 28(2.4%)
Home School: 22(1.9%)
Total: 1,160Shirley
Avg Assessed Value
$523,807
#143 of 235
Avg Tax Bill
$6,490
Income Per Capita
$38,986
#155 of 235
Tax Bill Rank
#191
of 341 towns
Avg Assessed Value is the mean assessed value of single-family homes only (MA property class 101 — excludes condos, multi-family, and apartments). MA law requires assessment at 100% of fair market value. Income Per Capita is total town income divided by population, derived from MA state income tax returns (not Census surveys). It includes wages, investment income, and capital gains, so wealthy towns can have very high figures. The MA median is about $48K. Tax bill rank orders towns by average single-family tax bill, highest to lowest.
Tax & Bond Details
Residential Tax Rate1.24%
Tax as % of Income16.65%(above avg)
Bond RatingAA(very good)
Tax rate is the effective residential rate (tax bill ÷ assessed value). Tax as % of income measures how much of residents’ income goes to property taxes. The MA median is about 14%; below 10% is low (wealthier towns with high incomes relative to home values), above 16% is above average. Bond rating reflects the town’s creditworthiness for borrowing. AAA is the highest possible rating (strong fiscal management), meaning the town can borrow at the lowest interest rates. AA+ is excellent, AA is very good.
New Growth
$12.2M+1.22% levy growth(typical)
Residential$9.2M
Commercial/Industrial$2.9M
Residential Share75.99%(typical)
New growth measures new taxable value from construction and development (not rising home prices). In Massachusetts, Proposition 2\u00BD limits annual property tax increases to 2.5% of the prior year\u2019s levy. New growth revenue is automatically added on top of this 2.5% base increase \u2014 it does not require a vote. This town’s total levy growth is about 3.7% (2.5% base + 1.22% from new growth). The MA median is about 1.2%; above 1.5% is strong, below 0.8% signals limited development. The residential share (75.99%) shows how much comes from homes vs. commercial/industrial. When most growth is residential, homeowners carry more of the tax burden. More commercial/industrial growth is generally better for homeowners because businesses share the cost.
Municipal Free Cash
$272K1.5% of operating budget
Free cash is the town's unencumbered surplus funds. 5-10% of budget is considered healthy. Operating budget: $18.8M.
Where Children Attend School
Regional: 656(77.6%)
Vocational: 48(5.7%)
Charter: 22(2.6%)
Private: 36(4.3%)
Home School: 47(5.6%)
Total: 845