Compare towns
Devens vs Lancaster vs Worcester
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%).
Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).
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 | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,723Lowest |
8,606 |
207,055Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±4.3Highest 22% above MA |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
| 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% |
19.6%±0.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Worcester and Lancaster 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% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Lancaster and Devens 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35.2% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.2 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $189,250±$63kHighest 82% above MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$70,102±$2kLowest 33% below 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±$96kHighest about the MA average |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$374,400±$7kLowest 33% 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 |
$1,487±$38Lowest 16% 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 |
$4,733Lowest 21% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±64.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7 MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9Lowest 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% |
19.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.3% MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1951 13 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% below MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
24 minLowest 17% below MA |
| Work from home | 28.5%±11.5 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1Lowest 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 | #266 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Nashoba | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester |
| High school in town | — | None in town | South High Community |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.6 |
| 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.