Compare towns
Devens vs Marblehead vs Ayer vs Bernardston
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).
Marblehead has the most expensive homes ($944k median).
Ayer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).
Bernardston has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Marblehead | Ayer | Bernardston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,723Lowest |
20,413Highest |
8,645 |
2,164 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.2% MA: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-1.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±4.3 22% above MA |
49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
39.2±2.8Lowest about the MA average |
49±3.2 23% above MA |
| Marblehead and Bernardston 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% |
22.3%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.3%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
17.6%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Marblehead and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14%±5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
14.5%±2.8 MA: 17.9% |
22.9%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bernardston and Marblehead 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% |
78.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
42.3% MA: 47.3% |
29.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1 MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
3.5%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Devens and Ayer 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 |
$182,132±$28k 75% above MA |
$101,875±$15k about the MA average |
$81,940±$10kLowest 21% below MA |
| Devens and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $556,800±$96k about the MA average |
$943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA |
$463,800±$29k 17% below MA |
$332,000±$15kLowest 41% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,500±$539 15% below MA |
$1,764±$147Highest about the MA average |
$1,415±$180 20% below MA |
$1,283±$553Lowest 27% below MA |
| Marblehead 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 |
$8,309Highest 39% above MA |
$5,057 16% below MA |
$4,516Lowest 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±64.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.5%±8.8 MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±14.2 MA: 51.8% |
41.2%±15.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Devens and Marblehead 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% |
4.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
10.7% MA: 10% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.3% MA: 62.5% |
85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
77.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950 14 yrs older than MA |
1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% below MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
20 minLowest 33% below MA |
| Work from home | 28.5%±11.5 MA: 18.6% |
34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±5.9 MA: 18.6% |
12.7%±6.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Marblehead 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 | — | #47 of 282 in MA | #113 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Marblehead | Ayer Shirley School District | Pioneer Valley |
| High school in town | — | Marblehead High | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7Lowest |
11.5Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.