Compare towns
Devens vs Lancaster vs Winchester
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 kids (19.2% under 18).
Winchester has the most affordable homes ($250k 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 | Winchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,723Lowest |
8,606 |
10,284Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 48.6±4.3 25% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
49.1±6.2Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Winchester 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 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Lancaster and Winchester 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% |
27.4%±5.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Winchester 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% |
27.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Devens and Winchester 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. |
$66,519±$12kLowest 18% 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. |
$249,500±$17kLowest 25% below 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. |
$1,174±$116Lowest 17% below U.S. |
| 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 78% above U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$4,780Lowest 53% 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% |
48.9%±15.8Lowest 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% |
12.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1955 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 28.5%±11.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.7Lowest 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 | #97 of 149 in CT |
| School district | — | Nashoba | Explorations District · Regional School District 07 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Northwestern Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.7 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.