Compare towns
Ayer vs Devens vs Upton vs North Brookfield
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%).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
North Brookfield has the most affordable homes ($359k 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 | Upton | North Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,098 |
1,723Lowest |
8,189Highest |
4,760 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.1% MA: +7.4% |
-7.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.1±6.9Lowest 5% above MA |
48.6±4.3Highest 22% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
45.2±9.4 13% above MA |
| Devens and Upton 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±4.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton 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% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.7%±5 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and North Brookfield 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% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
26.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±3 MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±4.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Devens and North Brookfield 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 |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$79,285±$11k 24% below MA |
| Devens and Upton 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 |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$359,100±$32kLowest 36% below MA |
| Upton 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±$539Highest 15% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$981±$63 44% 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 | $4,911 18% below MA |
$5,556 7% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,176Lowest 30% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±21.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
85.4%±64.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±15.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Devens and Upton 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% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
79.3% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
69.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 12 yrs older than MA |
1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1953 11 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 4% below MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
37 minHighest 28% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.8%±6.1 MA: 18.6% |
28.5%±11.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
13.1%±4.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Devens and Upton 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 | — | #46 of 282 in MA | #270 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | North Brookfield |
| High school in town | — | — | Blackstone Valley | North Brookfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.2Highest |
5.5Lowest |
| 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.