Compare towns
Devens vs Smithfield vs Shirley
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).
Smithfield has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Shirley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.8%).
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 | Smithfield | Shirley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,723 |
22,233Highest |
1,146Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±4.3Highest 25% above U.S. |
41.8±2.6Lowest 7% above U.S. |
44.2±14.6 14% above 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% |
16.9%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±8.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Shirley and Smithfield 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% |
21.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.8%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Smithfield and Shirley 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
47.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
16.7%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
8%±6.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $189,250±$63kHighest 134% above U.S. |
$102,077±$8kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$108,494±$62k 34% above 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. |
$446,400±$12k 34% above U.S. |
$395,800±$50kLowest 19% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,500±$539Highest 6% above U.S. |
$1,016±$241 28% below U.S. |
$982±$797Lowest 31% below U.S. |
| Devens and Smithfield 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. |
$5,207 67% above U.S. |
$4,398Lowest 41% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±64.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.3%±15Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Devens and Smithfield 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% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
63.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.5%±11.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.3%±17.7 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 | — | #8 of 38 in RI | #239 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Smithfield | — |
| High school in town | — | Smithfield High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.8 |
— |
| 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.