Compare towns
Devens vs Gray vs Ayer
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).
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).
Ayer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).
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 | Gray | Ayer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,723Lowest |
8,429 |
8,645Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±4.3Highest 25% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
39.2±2.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Devens and Gray 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%±4 U.S.: 22% |
20.3%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Ayer and Gray 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% |
19.3%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gray and Ayer 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% |
44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray 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. |
$95,236±$8kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$101,875±$15k 26% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $556,800±$96kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$463,800±$29k 39% 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±$539Highest 6% above U.S. |
$1,371±$89Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,415±$180 about the U.S. average |
| Devens and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,556Highest 78% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$5,057 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±64.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±14.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Devens and Gray 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% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.5%±11.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±5.9 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 | — | #10 of 133 in ME | #113 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Ayer Shirley School District |
| High school in town | — | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Ayer Shirley Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5Highest |
11.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.