Compare towns
Devens vs Plainfield vs Ayer vs Bernardston
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).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Ayer has the most renters (30.8% rent).
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 | Plainfield | Ayer | Bernardston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,723Lowest |
15,141Highest |
8,645 |
2,164 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±4.3 25% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
39.2±2.8 about the U.S. average |
49±3.2Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Bernardston 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% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
20.3%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.6%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Ayer and Plainfield 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% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.9%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield 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. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$101,875±$15k 26% above U.S. |
$81,940±$10k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $556,800±$96kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$463,800±$29k 39% above U.S. |
$332,000±$15k about the U.S. average |
| Devens and Ayer 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. |
$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,415±$180 about the U.S. average |
$1,283±$553 9% below U.S. |
| Devens and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,556Highest 78% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$5,057 62% above U.S. |
$4,516 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±64.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±14.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±15.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Devens and Ayer 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% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.5%±11.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±5.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.7%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Devens and Ayer 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 | — | #131 of 149 in CT | #113 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Plainfield School District | Ayer Shirley School District | Pioneer Valley |
| High school in town | — | Plainfield High School | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3Lowest |
11.5Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.