Compare towns
Devens vs Douglas vs Ayer
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%).
Douglas has the most homeowners (83.8%).
Ayer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).
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 | Douglas | Ayer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,723Lowest |
9,207Highest |
8,645 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±4.3Highest 22% above MA |
44±2.6 10% above MA |
39.2±2.8Lowest about the MA average |
| Devens and Douglas 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% |
21.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.3%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Douglas 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% |
15.4%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.5%±2.8 MA: 17.9% |
| Douglas and Ayer 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% |
41.7% MA: 47.3% |
42.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Douglas and Devens 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 |
$152,267±$10k 46% above MA |
$101,875±$15kLowest about the MA average |
| Devens and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $556,800±$96kHighest about the MA average |
$470,600±$29k 16% below MA |
$463,800±$29kLowest 17% below MA |
| Devens and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,500±$539 15% below MA |
$1,503±$697Highest 15% below MA |
$1,415±$180Lowest 20% below MA |
| Douglas and Devens 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 |
$6,338Highest 6% above MA |
$5,057Lowest 16% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±64.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±14.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Devens and Ayer 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% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
10.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.3% MA: 62.5% |
83.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% below MA |
34 minHighest 16% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 28.5%±11.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.9%±4.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±5.9 MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | — | #177 of 282 in MA | #113 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Douglas | Ayer Shirley School District |
| High school in town | — | Douglas High School | Ayer Shirley Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.2Lowest |
11.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → |
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.