Compare towns
Devens vs Lancaster vs Sutton 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).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Sutton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
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 | Lancaster | Sutton | Ayer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,723Lowest |
8,606Highest |
2,239 |
3,098 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±4.3Highest 25% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
48.1±4.1 24% above U.S. |
42.1±6.9Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Devens and Sutton 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% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
20.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Ayer and Sutton 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% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.3%±5.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sutton 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Devens and Sutton 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. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$130,313±$31k 61% above U.S. |
$74,878±$17kLowest 7% below U.S. |
| 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 67% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$362,600±$16kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$444,600±$43k 34% above U.S. |
| 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 6% above U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,656±$614 17% above U.S. |
$1,240±$169Lowest 12% below U.S. |
| Lancaster and Sutton 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. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
$7,652Highest 145% above U.S. |
$4,911Lowest 57% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±64.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.5%±11.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±6.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | — | #113 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Nashoba | Kearsarge Regional School District | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Kearsarge Regional High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.4 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.