Compare towns
Devens vs Hampton Falls vs Ayer 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 most people working from home (28.5%).
Hampton Falls has the most expensive homes ($773k median).
Ayer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).
Ayer has the most renters (41.9% rent).
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 | Hampton Falls | Ayer | Ayer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,723Lowest |
2,328 |
8,645Highest |
3,098 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±4.3 25% above U.S. |
49.5±7.3Highest 27% above U.S. |
39.2±2.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
42.1±6.9 8% above U.S. |
| Hampton Falls 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% |
19.1%±5.6 U.S.: 22% |
20.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
20.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Ayer and Ayer 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% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.3%±5.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Devens and Ayer 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. |
$166,157±$14k 106% above U.S. |
$101,875±$15k 26% above U.S. |
$74,878±$17kLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Devens and Hampton Falls 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. |
$772,600±$76kHighest 132% above U.S. |
$463,800±$29k 39% above U.S. |
$444,600±$43kLowest 34% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,500±$539 6% above U.S. |
$1,852±$475Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,415±$180 about the U.S. average |
$1,240±$169Lowest 12% below U.S. |
| Hampton Falls 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. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,057 62% above U.S. |
$4,911Lowest 57% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±64.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.2%±22.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±14.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Devens and Ayer 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
32 min 22% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.5%±11.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.8%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±5.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Devens and Hampton Falls 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 | — | — | #113 of 282 in MA | #113 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Hampton Falls School District | Ayer Shirley School District | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.5 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.