Compare towns
Ayer vs Devens vs Sturbridge
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%).
Sturbridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
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 | Sturbridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,098 |
1,723Lowest |
9,960Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.1% MA: +7.4% |
-7.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.1±6.9Lowest 5% above MA |
48.6±4.3Highest 22% above MA |
47.2±2.6 18% above MA |
| Devens and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±5.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
5.5%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.7%±3 MA: 19.4% |
| Ayer and Sturbridge 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% |
19.8%±3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Sturbridge 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% |
49.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±4.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Devens and Sturbridge 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 |
$136,759±$15k 32% above MA |
| Devens and Sturbridge 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±$96kHighest about the MA average |
$425,800±$18kLowest 24% below MA |
| 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 30% below MA |
$1,500±$539Highest 15% below MA |
$1,193±$398Lowest 32% below MA |
| Devens and Ayer 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 |
$6,520Highest 9% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±21.9 MA: 51.8% |
85.4%±64.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Devens and Ayer 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% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
79.3% MA: 62.5% |
86.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 12 yrs older than MA |
1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 4% below MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.8%±6.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
28.5%±11.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±4.8Lowest 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 | — | #89 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | — | Sturbridge · Tantasqua |
| High school in town | — | — | Tantasqua Regional Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 7.7 |
| 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.