Compare towns
Devens vs Ayer vs Upton vs East Brookfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Devens has the most people working from home (28.5%).
Ayer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
East Brookfield has the most affordable homes ($381k 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 | Devens | Ayer | Upton | East Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,723Lowest |
8,645Highest |
8,189 |
2,166 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+1.9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±4.3 22% above MA |
39.2±2.8Lowest about the MA average |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
52.1±6.4Highest 30% above MA |
| East Brookfield and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 5.5%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.3%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.3%±2.6 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+ | 14%±5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
14.5%±2.8 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
26.7%±5.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| East Brookfield and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
42.3% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
2.7%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Devens and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $189,250±$63kHighest 82% above MA |
$101,875±$15k about the MA average |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$81,042±$16kLowest 22% 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 | $556,800±$96k about the MA average |
$463,800±$29k 17% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$381,200±$30kLowest 32% 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 | $1,500±$539Highest 15% below MA |
$1,415±$180 20% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,142±$33 35% 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 | $5,556 7% below MA |
$5,057 16% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,430Lowest 26% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±64.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±14.2 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
34.2%±39.5Lowest 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 | 25.3%Highest MA: 10% |
10.7% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.3% MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% below MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 28.5%±11.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±5.9 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
7.3%±3.1Lowest 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 | — |
| School district | — | Ayer Shirley School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Spencer-E Brookfield |
| High school in town | — | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.5Highest |
11.2Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.