Compare towns
Devens vs Preston 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).
Preston has the most affordable homes ($362k median).
Ayer has the youngest population (median age 39.2).
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 | Preston | Ayer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,723Lowest |
4,821 |
8,645Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±4.3Highest 25% above U.S. |
46.2±7 19% above U.S. |
39.2±2.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Devens and Preston 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% |
18.7%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
20.3%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Ayer and Preston 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% |
23%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
42.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Devens and Preston 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. |
$116,648±$27k 44% above U.S. |
$101,875±$15kLowest 26% above U.S. |
| Devens and Preston 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. |
$361,900±$13kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$463,800±$29k 39% above U.S. |
| 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. |
$1,433±$1k about the U.S. average |
$1,415±$180Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Devens and Preston 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. |
$4,749Lowest 52% above U.S. |
$5,057 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±64.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±12.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±14.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Devens and Preston 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% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.5%±11.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±5.9 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 | — | #93 of 149 in CT | #113 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Preston School District | Ayer Shirley School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Ayer Shirley Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.5 |
| 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.