Compare towns
Devens vs Holden vs Ayer
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 most people working from home (28.5%).
Holden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.8%).
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 | Holden | Ayer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,723Lowest |
20,064Highest |
3,098 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+14.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±4.3Highest 22% above MA |
41.5±1.8Lowest 4% above MA |
42.1±6.9 5% above MA |
| Devens and Ayer 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% |
24.9%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±5.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Holden and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14%±5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.7%±1.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.3%±5.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Holden 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 MA: 47.3% |
58.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
37.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Holden 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 82% above MA |
$141,923±$11k 37% above MA |
$74,878±$17kLowest 28% below MA |
| Devens and Holden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $556,800±$96kHighest about the MA average |
$470,700±$13k 16% below MA |
$444,600±$43kLowest 21% below MA |
| Devens and Holden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,500±$539 15% below MA |
$1,648±$214Highest 6% below MA |
$1,240±$169Lowest 30% below MA |
| Holden 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 |
$6,359Highest 6% above MA |
$4,911Lowest 18% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±64.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
42.4%±7.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
46.9%±21.9 MA: 51.8% |
| 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 MA: 10% |
4.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.3% MA: 62.5% |
85.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1952 12 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% below MA |
27 minLowest 6% below MA |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 28.5%±11.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
18.2%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±6.1 MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | — | #57 of 282 in MA | #113 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Wachusett | — |
| High school in town | — | Wachusett Regional High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.0 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.