Compare towns
Devens vs Lancaster vs Windsor Locks 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%).
Windsor Locks has the most affordable homes ($259k median).
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 | Lancaster | Windsor Locks | Ayer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,723Lowest |
8,606 |
12,579Highest |
8,645 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±4.3Highest 25% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
41.4±2.6 6% above U.S. |
39.2±2.8Lowest about the U.S. 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 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
20.3%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Ayer and Lancaster 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%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lancaster and Windsor Locks 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% |
28.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
42.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windsor Locks 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 134% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$81,205±$13kLowest about the U.S. average |
$101,875±$15k 26% above 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. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$463,800±$29k 39% 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. |
$1,394±$187Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,415±$180 about the U.S. average |
| 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. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$5,057 62% 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% |
58.2%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±14.2Lowest 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% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.5%±11.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±5.9 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 | #109 of 149 in CT | #113 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Nashoba | Windsor Locks School District | Ayer Shirley School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Windsor Locks High School | Ayer Shirley Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.9Lowest |
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.