Compare towns
Devens vs Killingly vs Mendon 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).
Killingly has the most affordable homes ($289k median).
Mendon has the most kids (22.8% under 18).
Ayer has the most renters (30.8% 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 | Killingly | Mendon | Ayer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,723Lowest |
17,867Highest |
6,325 |
8,645 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±4.3Highest 25% above U.S. |
39.5±3 about the U.S. average |
44.1±4.4 13% above U.S. |
39.2±2.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Devens and Mendon 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% |
19.8%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Mendon 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% |
19.7%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Killingly and Mendon 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% |
22.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.9%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%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Mendon and Killingly 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. |
$84,350±$8kLowest 4% above U.S. |
$132,256±$33k 64% above U.S. |
$101,875±$15k 26% above U.S. |
| Devens and Mendon 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. |
$288,600±$15kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$616,000±$37kHighest 85% above U.S. |
$463,800±$29k 39% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,500±$539 6% above U.S. |
$1,044±$141Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,840±$196Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,415±$180 about the U.S. average |
| Mendon 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. |
$3,922Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$7,213Highest 131% above U.S. |
$5,057 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±64.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
78.7%±26 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±14.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Devens and Mendon 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% |
11.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.5%±11.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±5.7 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 | — | #136 of 149 in CT | #210 of 282 in MA | #113 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Mendon-Upton | Ayer Shirley School District |
| High school in town | — | Killingly High School | None in town | Ayer Shirley Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Lowest |
— | 11.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.