Compare towns
Devens vs Epping vs Ayer vs East Brookfield
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 highest household income ($189k).
Epping has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Ayer has the most renters (41.9% rent).
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 | Epping | Ayer | East Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,723Lowest |
7,430Highest |
3,098 |
2,166 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±4.3 25% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5 16% above U.S. |
42.1±6.9Lowest 8% above U.S. |
52.1±6.4Highest 34% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
20.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Ayer and Epping 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% |
22.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.3%±5.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.7%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| East Brookfield and Epping 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% |
37% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
27% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Devens and Epping 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 134% above U.S. |
$104,220±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$74,878±$17kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$81,042±$16k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $556,800±$96kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$436,900±$35k 31% above U.S. |
$444,600±$43k 34% above U.S. |
$381,200±$30kLowest 15% above U.S. |
| Devens and Ayer 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. |
$1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,240±$169 12% below U.S. |
$1,142±$33Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Epping 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. |
$6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
$4,911 57% above U.S. |
$4,430Lowest 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±64.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
34.2%±39.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Devens and Epping 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% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
32 min 22% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.5%±11.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±6.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Devens and Epping 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 | — | #77 of 120 in NH | #113 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Epping School District | — | Spencer-E Brookfield |
| High school in town | — | Epping High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.3 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.