Compare towns
Devens vs Sprague 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).
Sprague has the most affordable homes ($274k median).
Shirley has the youngest population (median age 44.3).
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 | Sprague | Shirley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,723Lowest |
2,962 |
6,976Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±4.3Highest 25% above U.S. |
48.5±10.7 25% above U.S. |
44.3±3.4Lowest 14% above U.S. |
| Devens and Sprague 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% |
17.1%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Sprague and Shirley 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% |
19.9%±3.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±5.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sprague 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.6%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.2Highest 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. |
$92,850±$11kLowest 15% above U.S. |
$122,365±$16k 52% 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. |
$273,500±$17kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$427,600±$36k 29% above 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. |
$1,247±$144Lowest 12% below U.S. |
$1,481±$421 5% above 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. |
$4,668Lowest 50% above U.S. |
$5,156 65% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±64.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
26.9%±12.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±21.8 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% |
8.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
40 minHighest 53% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.5%±11.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±7.8 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 | — | #141 of 149 in CT | #239 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Sprague School District | Ayer Shirley School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.