Compare towns
Devens vs Harvard vs Rye
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 affordable homes ($557k median).
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
Rye has the most expensive homes ($1028k 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 | Harvard | Rye |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,723Lowest |
6,927Highest |
5,611 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±4.3 25% above U.S. |
44.1±4.7Lowest 13% above U.S. |
55.1±3Highest 42% above U.S. |
| Rye 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% |
21.1%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
| Harvard and Rye 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% |
16.3%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
31.7%±5.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
61.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Devens and Harvard 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. |
$213,996±$24kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$140,655±$39kLowest 74% 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±$96kLowest 67% above U.S. |
$833,600±$54k 151% above U.S. |
$1,028,100±$89kHighest 209% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,500±$539 6% above U.S. |
$1,321±$424Lowest 7% below U.S. |
$1,781±$156Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Rye and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,556Lowest 78% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$7,519 141% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±64.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
72.5%±51.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.3%±16.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Devens and Harvard 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% |
4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.5%±11.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
44.8%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
30.9%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #12 of 282 in MA | #2 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Harvard | Rye School District |
| High school in town | — | The Bromfield High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.0 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.