Compare towns
Devens vs Suffield vs Windsor vs Ayer
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).
Suffield has the most homeowners (86.7%).
Windsor has the most affordable homes ($305k median).
Ayer has the most renters (41.9% rent).
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 | Suffield | Windsor | Ayer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,723Lowest |
15,702 |
29,468Highest |
3,098 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +4.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±4.3Highest 25% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7 14% above U.S. |
43.7±1.9 12% above U.S. |
42.1±6.9Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Devens and Suffield 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% |
16.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
20.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Ayer and Windsor 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% |
18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.3%±5.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windsor and Suffield 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% |
40.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windsor 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. |
$119,472±$13k 48% above U.S. |
$104,725±$8k 30% above U.S. |
$74,878±$17kLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Devens and Suffield 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. |
$407,500±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$305,200±$11kLowest 8% below U.S. |
$444,600±$43k 34% above U.S. |
| Devens and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,500±$539 6% above U.S. |
$1,424±$141 about the U.S. average |
$1,681±$62Highest 19% above U.S. |
$1,240±$169Lowest 12% below U.S. |
| Windsor 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. |
$6,456Highest 107% above U.S. |
$5,351 72% above U.S. |
$4,911Lowest 57% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±64.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.9%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Devens and Suffield 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% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
26 min 3% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 19% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.5%±11.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±6.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Devens and Ayer 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 | — | #57 of 149 in CT | #117 of 149 in CT | #113 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Suffield School District | Capitol Region Education Council · Windsor School District | — |
| High school in town | — | Suffield High School | Windsor High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.9Highest |
10.2Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.