Compare towns
Devens vs Shirley vs Woonsocket
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).
Woonsocket has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5%).
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 | Shirley | Woonsocket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,723Lowest |
6,976 |
43,521Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±4.3Highest 25% above U.S. |
44.3±3.4 14% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Devens and Shirley 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% |
16.4%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 14%±5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±5.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Shirley and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Shirley 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. |
$122,365±$16k 52% above U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Devens and Shirley 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. |
$427,600±$36k 29% above U.S. |
$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Devens and Shirley 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. |
$1,481±$421 5% above U.S. |
$1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Devens and Shirley 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. |
$5,156 65% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±64.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±21.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Devens and Shirley 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% |
9.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
40 minHighest 53% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.5%±11.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±7.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Devens and Shirley 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 | — | #239 of 282 in MA | #37 of 38 in RI |
| School district | — | Ayer Shirley School District | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Woonsocket High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 15.2 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.