Compare towns
Devens vs Lancaster vs Springfield 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 highest household income ($189k).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Springfield has the most affordable homes ($245k median).
Ayer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).
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 | Springfield | Ayer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,723Lowest |
8,606 |
154,749Highest |
8,645 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+1.9% MA: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±4.3Highest 22% above MA |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
33.7±0.5Lowest 16% below MA |
39.2±2.8 about the MA average |
| Devens and Lancaster 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% |
24.2%±0.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.3%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Springfield and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14%±5 MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
13.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
14.5%±2.8 MA: 17.9% |
| Lancaster 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% MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
20.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
42.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.2 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.5%±0.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Springfield 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 |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$52,656±$2kLowest 49% below MA |
$101,875±$15k about the MA average |
| 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±$96kHighest about the MA average |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$245,000±$4kLowest 56% below MA |
$463,800±$29k 17% below MA |
| Devens and Lancaster 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 |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,144±$55Lowest 35% below MA |
$1,415±$180 20% below MA |
| Lancaster 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 |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$3,695Lowest 38% below MA |
$5,057 16% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±64.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7 MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±3.1 MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±14.2Lowest 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% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
25.8%Highest MA: 10% |
10.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.3% MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
49.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
69.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1952 12 yrs older than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% below MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
20 minLowest 31% below MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 28.5%±11.5 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±5.9 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 | #276 of 282 in MA | #113 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Nashoba | Springfield | Ayer Shirley School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Springfield Central High | Ayer Shirley Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.2Highest |
11.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → |
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.