Compare towns
Devens vs Exeter vs Upton vs Bernardston
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 most people working from home (28.5%).
Exeter has the youngest population (median age 37.7).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Bernardston has the most affordable homes ($332k 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 | Upton | Bernardston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,723Lowest |
7,195 |
8,189Highest |
2,164 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±4.3 25% above U.S. |
37.7±5.9Lowest 3% below U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
49±3.2Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Bernardston and Devens 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.6%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton 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% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.9%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bernardston 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% |
46.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.1% 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% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter 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. |
$111,250±$30k 38% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33k 93% above U.S. |
$81,940±$10kLowest about the U.S. average |
| 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. |
$509,200±$43k 53% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$332,000±$15kLowest about the U.S. average |
| 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±$539Highest 6% above U.S. |
$1,317±$307 7% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,283±$553 9% below U.S. |
| Devens and Exeter 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. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$4,516Lowest 45% 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% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±15.1Lowest 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
22 min 15% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.5%±11.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±6.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.7%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Devens and Upton 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Exeter-West Greenwich | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Pioneer Valley |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.2 |
— |
| 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.