Compare towns
Ayer vs Devens vs Epping vs Barre
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ayer has the most renters (41.9% rent).
Devens has the highest household income ($189k).
Epping has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Barre has the most affordable homes ($394k median).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Ayer | Devens | Epping | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,098 |
1,723Lowest |
7,430Highest |
5,572 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.1±6.9Lowest 8% above U.S. |
48.6±4.3Highest 25% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5 16% above U.S. |
43.8±8.5 13% above U.S. |
| Devens and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.5%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
15.8%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Ayer and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.3%±5.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
14%±5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±5.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Epping and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±4.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Barre and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $74,878±$17kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$189,250±$63kHighest 134% above U.S. |
$104,220±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$107,727±$13k 33% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $444,600±$43k 34% above U.S. |
$556,800±$96kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$436,900±$35k 31% above U.S. |
$394,300±$55kLowest 19% above U.S. |
| Devens and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,240±$169 12% below U.S. |
$1,500±$539 6% above U.S. |
$1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,030±$713Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Epping and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,911Lowest 57% above U.S. |
$5,556 78% above U.S. |
$6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
$5,163 66% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
85.4%±64.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.2%±27.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Devens and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
25.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
32 min 22% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.8%±6.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.5%±11.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Devens and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #113 of 282 in MA | — | #77 of 120 in NH | #134 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | — | Epping School District | Quabbin |
| High school in town | — | — | Epping High School | Quabbin Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.3Lowest |
12.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.