Compare towns
Devens vs Reading vs Ayer
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).
Reading has the most expensive homes ($809k median).
Ayer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.1%).
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 | Reading | Ayer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,723Lowest |
25,612Highest |
3,098 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+4.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±4.3Highest 22% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
42.1±6.9Lowest 5% above MA |
| Devens and Reading 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% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±5.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Reading 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% |
20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.3%±5.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Reading 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 MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
37.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±3 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 |
$165,912±$13k 60% above MA |
$74,878±$17kLowest 28% below MA |
| Devens and Reading 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 |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$444,600±$43kLowest 21% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,500±$539 15% below MA |
$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$1,240±$169Lowest 30% below MA |
| Reading 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 |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$4,911Lowest 18% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±64.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
46.9%±21.9 MA: 51.8% |
| 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 MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.3% MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1960Highest 4 yrs older than MA |
1952 12 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% below MA |
31 minHighest 6% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 28.5%±11.5 MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±6.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Reading 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 | — | #50 of 282 in MA | #113 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Reading | — |
| High school in town | — | Reading Memorial High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— |
| 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.