Compare towns
Devens vs Harvard vs Wareham vs Shirley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Devens has the oldest housing (typical home built 1950).
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
Wareham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
Shirley has the most renters (22.6% 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 | Harvard | Wareham | Shirley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,723Lowest |
6,927 |
23,302Highest |
6,976 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±4.3 22% above MA |
44.1±4.7Lowest 10% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
44.3±3.4 11% above MA |
| Wareham 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 MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±4.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Harvard and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14%±5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.3%±2.8 MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±5.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Wareham and Shirley 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 MA: 47.3% |
62%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27.1% MA: 47.3% |
36.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.2 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
5.7%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Shirley and Wareham 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 82% above MA |
$213,996±$24kHighest 106% above MA |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
$122,365±$16k 18% above MA |
| 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 about the MA average |
$833,600±$54kHighest 48% above MA |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
$427,600±$36k 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,500±$539 15% below MA |
$1,321±$424Lowest 25% below MA |
$1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA |
$1,481±$421 16% below MA |
| Wareham and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,556 7% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
$5,156 14% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±64.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
72.5%±51.5 MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.1%±21.8 MA: 51.8% |
| 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 MA: 10% |
4.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
9.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.3% MA: 62.5% |
89.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
77.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% below MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
40 minHighest 39% above MA |
| Work from home | 28.5%±11.5 MA: 18.6% |
44.8%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21%±7.8 MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | — | #12 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA | #239 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Harvard | Wareham | Ayer Shirley School District |
| High school in town | — | The Bromfield High School | Wareham Senior High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.0Highest |
8.6Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.