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 the shortest commute (25 min average).
Ayer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).
Shirley has the most affordable homes ($396k 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 | 1,723 |
16,151Highest |
8,645 |
1,146Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±4.3Highest 25% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
39.2±2.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.2±14.6 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% |
20.3%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±8.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Ayer and Shirley 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% |
14.5%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.8%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
47.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8%±6.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Shirley and Exeter 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. |
$101,875±$15kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$108,494±$62k 34% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $556,800±$96kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$463,800±$29k 39% above U.S. |
$395,800±$50kLowest 19% 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. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,415±$180 about the U.S. average |
$982±$797Lowest 31% below 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. |
$5,057 62% above U.S. |
$4,398Lowest 41% 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% |
45.1%±14.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.3%±15Lowest 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% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
63.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
32 min 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.5%±11.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±5.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.3%±17.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Devens and Ayer 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 | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Highest |
11.5Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | 12 photos → | 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.