Compare towns
Devens vs Douglas vs Killingly vs Ayer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
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%).
Killingly has the most affordable homes ($289k median).
Ayer has the most renters (30.8% rent).
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 | Killingly | Ayer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,723Lowest |
9,207 |
17,867Highest |
8,645 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±4.3Highest 25% above U.S. |
44±2.6 13% above U.S. |
39.5±3 about the U.S. average |
39.2±2.8Lowest about the U.S. 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 U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
20.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Douglas and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14%±5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Killingly and Douglas 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
42.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $189,250±$63kHighest 134% above U.S. |
$152,267±$10k 89% above U.S. |
$84,350±$8kLowest 4% above U.S. |
$101,875±$15k 26% above U.S. |
| 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 67% above U.S. |
$470,600±$29k 41% above U.S. |
$288,600±$15kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$463,800±$29k 39% above U.S. |
| 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 6% above U.S. |
$1,503±$697Highest 6% above U.S. |
$1,044±$141Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,415±$180 about the U.S. average |
| 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 78% above U.S. |
$6,338Highest 103% above U.S. |
$3,922Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$5,057 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±64.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±14.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.5%±11.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.9%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±5.9 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 | — | #177 of 282 in MA | #136 of 149 in CT | #113 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Douglas | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Ayer Shirley School District |
| High school in town | — | Douglas High School | Killingly High School | Ayer Shirley Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.2Lowest |
11.1 |
11.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 12 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.