Compare towns
Ayer vs Devens vs Mendon vs Warren
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%).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
Warren has the most affordable homes ($334k 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 | Mendon | Warren |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,098 |
1,723Lowest |
6,325Highest |
5,009 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.1% MA: +7.4% |
-7.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-3.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.1±6.9 5% above MA |
48.6±4.3Highest 22% above MA |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
38.7±7.3Lowest 3% below MA |
| Devens and Mendon 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% |
22.8%±6.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±8 MA: 19.4% |
| Mendon and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.3%±5.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
14%±5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
14.6%±4.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Ayer and Mendon 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% |
46.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.2% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±3 MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±4.2 MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Mendon 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±$17k 28% below MA |
$189,250±$63kHighest 82% above MA |
$132,256±$33k 27% above MA |
$66,082±$6kLowest 36% below MA |
| Devens and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $444,600±$43k 21% below MA |
$556,800±$96k about the MA average |
$616,000±$37kHighest 10% above MA |
$333,700±$35kLowest 41% below MA |
| Mendon and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,240±$169 30% below MA |
$1,500±$539 15% below MA |
$1,840±$196Highest 4% above MA |
$890±$174Lowest 49% below MA |
| Mendon and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,911 18% below MA |
$5,556 7% below MA |
$7,213Highest 20% above MA |
$4,530Lowest 24% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±21.9 MA: 51.8% |
85.4%±64.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
78.7%±26 MA: 51.8% |
29.7%±18.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Devens and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
25.3%Highest MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
79.3% MA: 62.5% |
86.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
64.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 12 yrs older than MA |
1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 4% below MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.8%±6.1 MA: 18.6% |
28.5%±11.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7 MA: 18.6% |
8.5%±5.4Lowest 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 | — | #210 of 282 in MA | #165 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | — | Mendon-Upton | Quaboag Regional |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town | Quaboag Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 10.0 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.