Compare towns
Ayer vs Woonsocket vs Plainville vs Devens
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).
Plainville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20.3%).
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 | Plainville | Devens |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,645 |
43,521Highest |
9,943 |
1,723Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+20.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.2±2.8 about the U.S. average |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
43.2±3.6 11% above U.S. |
48.6±4.3Highest 25% above U.S. |
| Devens and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±4 U.S.: 22% |
5.5%±3.9Lowest 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+ | 14.5%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14%±5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±4.2Highest 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 | $101,875±$15k 26% above U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$104,106±$13k 29% above U.S. |
$189,250±$63kHighest 134% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $463,800±$29k 39% above U.S. |
$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$476,000±$35k 43% above U.S. |
$556,800±$96kHighest 67% above U.S. |
| Devens and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,415±$180 about the U.S. average |
$1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,977±$197Highest 40% above U.S. |
$1,500±$539 6% above U.S. |
| Plainville and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,057 62% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$5,329 71% above U.S. |
$5,556Highest 78% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.1%±14.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
53.8%±13.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
85.4%±64.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Devens and Plainville 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% |
18.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
25.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
29 min 10% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.6%±5.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.5%±11.5Highest 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 | #102 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Ayer Shirley School District | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Plainville | — |
| High school in town | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | Woonsocket High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5Lowest |
15.2Highest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 12 photos → | 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.