Compare towns
Devens vs Rye vs Ayer vs Harvard
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 shortest commute (28 min average).
Rye has the most expensive homes ($1028k median).
Ayer has the most renters (41.9% rent).
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
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 | Rye | Ayer | Harvard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,723Lowest |
5,611 |
3,098 |
6,927Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±4.3 25% above U.S. |
55.1±3Highest 42% above U.S. |
42.1±6.9Lowest 8% above U.S. |
44.1±4.7 13% above U.S. |
| Rye 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% |
18.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
20.8%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Harvard 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% |
31.7%±5.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.3%±5.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.3%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
61.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
62%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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±$63k 134% above U.S. |
$140,655±$39k 74% above U.S. |
$74,878±$17kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$213,996±$24kHighest 165% above U.S. |
| Harvard and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $556,800±$96k 67% above U.S. |
$1,028,100±$89kHighest 209% above U.S. |
$444,600±$43kLowest 34% above U.S. |
$833,600±$54k 151% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,500±$539 6% above U.S. |
$1,781±$156Highest 26% above U.S. |
$1,240±$169Lowest 12% below U.S. |
$1,321±$424 7% below U.S. |
| Rye and Devens 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. |
$7,519 141% above U.S. |
$4,911Lowest 57% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±64.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.3%±16.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
72.5%±51.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Devens and Harvard 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% |
6.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.5%±11.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
30.9%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
44.8%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #2 of 120 in NH | #113 of 282 in MA | #12 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Rye School District | — | Harvard |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | The Bromfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 11.0 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.