Compare towns
Devens vs Exeter vs Shirley 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 oldest population (median age 48.6).
Exeter has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Shirley has the most affordable homes ($428k median).
Harvard has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.1%).
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 | Shirley | Harvard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,723Lowest |
7,195Highest |
6,976 |
6,927 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±4.3Highest 25% above U.S. |
37.7±5.9Lowest 3% below U.S. |
44.3±3.4 14% above U.S. |
44.1±4.7 13% above U.S. |
| Devens and Shirley 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% |
19.7%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Harvard 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% |
18.2%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±5.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.3%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Shirley and Exeter 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% |
46.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
62%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
11.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.5Lowest 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±$63k 134% above U.S. |
$111,250±$30kLowest 38% above U.S. |
$122,365±$16k 52% 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. |
$509,200±$43k 53% above U.S. |
$427,600±$36kLowest 29% above U.S. |
$833,600±$54kHighest 151% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,500±$539Highest 6% above U.S. |
$1,317±$307Lowest 7% below U.S. |
$1,481±$421 5% above U.S. |
$1,321±$424 7% below U.S. |
| Devens and Shirley 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. |
$5,881 89% above U.S. |
$5,156Lowest 65% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±64.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
91%±26.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±21.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
72.5%±51.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Devens 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% |
12.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
40 minHighest 53% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.5%±11.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±7.8 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 | — | #14 of 38 in RI | #239 of 282 in MA | #12 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Exeter-West Greenwich | Ayer Shirley School District | Harvard |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | The Bromfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 11.0 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 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.