Compare towns
Ayer vs Devens vs Exeter
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ayer has the most kids (20.3% under 18).
Devens has the highest household income ($189k).
Exeter has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,645 |
1,723Lowest |
16,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.2±2.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
48.6±4.3Highest 25% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
| Devens and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.3%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.5%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Ayer and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.5%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
14%±5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±4.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,875±$15kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$189,250±$63kHighest 134% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $463,800±$29k 39% above U.S. |
$556,800±$96kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% 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 | $1,415±$180Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,500±$539 6% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,057Lowest 62% above U.S. |
$5,556 78% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.1%±14.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
85.4%±64.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Devens and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
25.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.6%±5.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.5%±11.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest 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 | — | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Ayer Shirley School District | — | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | — | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5Lowest |
— | 12.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 12 photos → | None yet | 59 photos → |
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.