Compare towns
Devens vs Exeter vs Ayer 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).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Ayer has the most kids (20.8% under 18).
Shirley has the most affordable homes ($428k 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 | Exeter | Ayer | Shirley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,723Lowest |
16,151Highest |
3,098 |
6,976 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±4.3Highest 25% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
42.1±6.9Lowest 8% above U.S. |
44.3±3.4 14% above U.S. |
| Devens and Exeter 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% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
20.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Ayer and Exeter 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% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.3%±5.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±5.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Shirley 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% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Shirley 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. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$74,878±$17kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$122,365±$16k 52% above U.S. |
| Devens and Shirley 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. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$444,600±$43k 34% above U.S. |
$427,600±$36kLowest 29% above U.S. |
| Devens and Exeter 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. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,240±$169Lowest 12% below U.S. |
$1,481±$421 5% above U.S. |
| Exeter 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. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$4,911Lowest 57% above U.S. |
$5,156 65% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±64.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±21.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±21.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Devens and Exeter 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% |
9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
40 minHighest 53% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.5%±11.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±7.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Devens and Shirley 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 | — | #22 of 120 in NH | #113 of 282 in MA | #239 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | — | Ayer Shirley School District |
| High school in town | — | Exeter High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.