Compare towns
Devens vs Epping vs Upton vs Shirley
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).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Shirley has the most renters (36.8% 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 | Epping | Upton | Shirley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,723 |
7,430 |
8,189Highest |
1,146Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±4.3Highest 25% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5 16% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
44.2±14.6Lowest 14% above U.S. |
| Devens and Upton 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±8.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton 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%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.8%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Epping and Upton 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% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8%±6.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Shirley 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 134% above U.S. |
$104,220±$7kLowest 29% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33k 93% above U.S. |
$108,494±$62k 34% above U.S. |
| Devens and Upton 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±$35k 31% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$395,800±$50kLowest 19% above U.S. |
| Upton and Devens 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. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$982±$797 31% 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. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$4,398Lowest 41% 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% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.3%±15Lowest 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
63.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
32 min 22% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
32 min 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.5%±11.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.3%±17.7Lowest 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #239 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Epping School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | — |
| High school in town | — | Epping High School | Blackstone Valley | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.3Lowest |
11.2Highest |
— |
| 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.