Compare towns
Devens vs Epping vs Ayer vs Harvard
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 shortest commute (28 min average).
Epping has the most affordable homes ($437k median).
Ayer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
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 | Harvard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,723Lowest |
7,430 |
8,645Highest |
6,927 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±4.3Highest 25% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5 16% above U.S. |
39.2±2.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.1±4.7 13% above U.S. |
| Devens and Epping 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% |
20.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Harvard 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% |
22.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.3%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Epping and Harvard 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% |
42.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
62%Highest 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% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.5Lowest 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±$63k 134% above U.S. |
$104,220±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$101,875±$15kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$213,996±$24kHighest 165% above U.S. |
| Harvard and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $556,800±$96k 67% above U.S. |
$436,900±$35kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$463,800±$29k 39% above U.S. |
$833,600±$54kHighest 151% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,500±$539 6% above U.S. |
$1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,415±$180 about the U.S. average |
$1,321±$424Lowest 7% 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. |
$6,936 122% above U.S. |
$5,057Lowest 62% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% 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% |
45.1%±14.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
72.5%±51.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Devens and Harvard 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
32 min 22% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.5%±11.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
44.8%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Harvard and Devens 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 | #12 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Epping School District | Ayer Shirley School District | Harvard |
| High school in town | — | Epping High School | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | The Bromfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.3Lowest |
11.5Highest |
11.0 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.