Compare towns
Devens vs Lancaster vs Rowley
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 highest household income ($189k).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Rowley has the most expensive homes ($667k 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 | Lancaster | Rowley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,723Lowest |
8,606Highest |
6,251 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±4.3 22% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
50±6.3Highest 25% above MA |
| Rowley 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% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
19.3%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Rowley and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14%±5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
21.6%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Rowley and Lancaster 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% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
56.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Devens and Rowley 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 |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$132,734±$32kLowest 28% above MA |
| Devens and Lancaster 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 |
$519,100±$60kLowest 8% below MA |
$667,300±$52kHighest 19% above MA |
| Rowley and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,500±$539Lowest 15% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,603±$520 9% below MA |
| Lancaster and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,556Lowest 7% below MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$8,309Highest 39% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±64.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7 MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±27.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Devens and Lancaster 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% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
81.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% below MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
28 min 3% below MA |
| Work from home | 28.5%±11.5 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.1%±4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster 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 | — | #145 of 282 in MA | #214 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Nashoba | Triton |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.