Compare towns
Devens vs Pelham 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).
Pelham has the most homeowners (86.7%).
Ayer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).
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 | Pelham | Ayer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,723Lowest |
14,449Highest |
8,645 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±4.3Highest 25% above U.S. |
41.5±2.7 7% above U.S. |
39.2±2.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 5.5%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Pelham and Ayer 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% |
16.5%±1.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Pelham and Ayer 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% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
42.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pelham 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. |
$135,956±$19k 68% above U.S. |
$101,875±$15kLowest 26% above U.S. |
| Devens and Pelham 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. |
$552,600±$27k 66% above U.S. |
$463,800±$29kLowest 39% above U.S. |
| Devens and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,500±$539Highest 6% above U.S. |
$1,425±$88 about the U.S. average |
$1,415±$180Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Devens and Pelham 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. |
$8,634Highest 177% above U.S. |
$5,057Lowest 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±64.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.3%±12.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±14.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Devens and Pelham 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% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.5%±11.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Devens and Pelham 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 | — | #48 of 120 in NH | #113 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Pelham School District | Ayer Shirley School District |
| High school in town | — | Pelham High School | Ayer Shirley Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4Lowest |
11.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.