Compare towns
Ayer vs Devens vs Hanson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ayer has the most renters (41.9% rent).
Devens has the most people working from home (28.5%).
Hanson has the most homeowners (89%).
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 | Hanson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,098 |
1,723Lowest |
10,660Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.1% MA: +7.4% |
-7.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.1±6.9Lowest 5% above MA |
48.6±4.3Highest 22% above MA |
42.8±3 7% above MA |
| Devens and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±5.3 MA: 19.4% |
5.5%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±3.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Hanson and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.3%±5.5 MA: 17.9% |
14%±5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.7%±3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Hanson and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.7% MA: 47.3% |
21.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
42.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±4.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Devens and Hanson 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 28% below MA |
$189,250±$63kHighest 82% above MA |
$132,200±$10k 27% above MA |
| Devens and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $444,600±$43kLowest 21% below MA |
$556,800±$96kHighest about the MA average |
$533,900±$36k 5% below MA |
| Devens and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,240±$169Lowest 30% below MA |
$1,500±$539 15% below MA |
$1,821±$860Highest 3% above MA |
| Hanson and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,911Lowest 18% below MA |
$5,556 7% below MA |
$6,402Highest 7% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±21.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
85.4%±64.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
69%±33.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Devens and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.9% MA: 10% |
25.3%Highest MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
79.3% MA: 62.5% |
89%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 12 yrs older than MA |
1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 4% below MA |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.8%±6.1 MA: 18.6% |
28.5%±11.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.9%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Devens and Ayer 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 | — | #149 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | — | Whitman-Hanson |
| High school in town | — | — | Whitman Hanson Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.7 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.