Compare towns
Ayer vs Woonsocket vs Devens vs North Brookfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Devens has the highest household income ($189k).
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 | Woonsocket | Devens | North Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,098 |
43,521Highest |
1,723Lowest |
4,760 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.1±6.9 8% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
48.6±4.3Highest 25% above U.S. |
45.2±9.4 16% above U.S. |
| Devens and North Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.5%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
14%±5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| North Brookfield 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
26.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±4.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Devens and Woonsocket 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 7% below U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$189,250±$63kHighest 134% above U.S. |
$79,285±$11k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $444,600±$43k 34% above U.S. |
$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$556,800±$96kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$359,100±$32k 8% 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. |
$1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
$1,500±$539Highest 6% above U.S. |
$981±$63Lowest 31% below U.S. |
| 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 57% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$5,556Highest 78% above U.S. |
$4,176 34% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
85.4%±64.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±15.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Devens and North Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
25.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1953Highest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.8%±6.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.5%±11.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #37 of 38 in RI | — | #270 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | — | North Brookfield |
| High school in town | — | Woonsocket High School | — | North Brookfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 15.2Highest |
— | 5.5Lowest |
| 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.