Compare towns
Devens vs Douglas vs Webster
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 kids (21.2% under 18).
Webster has the most renters (40.2% 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 | Webster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,723Lowest |
9,207 |
17,748Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±4.3Highest 22% above MA |
44±2.6 10% above MA |
39.9±2.9Lowest 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% |
19.6%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Douglas and Webster 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%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Webster 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 MA: 47.3% |
41.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
25.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Webster and Douglas 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 |
$72,895±$6kLowest 30% below MA |
| 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 |
$361,500±$12kLowest 36% 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 |
$1,228±$81Lowest 30% 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 |
$3,999Lowest 33% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±64.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Devens and Webster 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% |
12.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.3% MA: 62.5% |
83.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% below MA |
34 minHighest 16% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 28.5%±11.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.9%±4.9 MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Devens and Douglas 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 | #271 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Douglas | Webster |
| High school in town | — | Douglas High School | Bartlett High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.2Lowest |
11.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.