Compare towns
Devens vs Upton vs Douglas vs Shirley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Devens has the most people working from home (28.5%).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Douglas has the youngest population (median age 44).
Shirley has the most affordable homes ($428k median).
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 | Upton | Douglas | Shirley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,723Lowest |
8,189 |
9,207Highest |
6,976 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±4.3Highest 22% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
44±2.6Lowest 10% above MA |
44.3±3.4 11% above MA |
| Devens and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 5.5%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±4.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14%±5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±5.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton 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 MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.7% MA: 47.3% |
36.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.2 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
5.7%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Shirley and Douglas 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 82% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$152,267±$10k 46% above MA |
$122,365±$16kLowest 18% above MA |
| Devens and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $556,800±$96k about the MA average |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$470,600±$29k 16% below MA |
$427,600±$36kLowest 24% below MA |
| Upton and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,500±$539 15% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,503±$697Highest 15% below MA |
$1,481±$421 16% below MA |
| Douglas and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,556 7% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$6,338 6% above MA |
$5,156Lowest 14% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±64.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.1%±21.8 MA: 51.8% |
| 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 MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
9.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.3% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.8% MA: 62.5% |
77.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1984 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% below MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
34 min 16% above MA |
40 minHighest 39% above MA |
| Work from home | 28.5%±11.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
20.9%±4.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21%±7.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Devens and Upton 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 | — | #46 of 282 in MA | #177 of 282 in MA | #239 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Douglas | Ayer Shirley School District |
| High school in town | — | Blackstone Valley | Douglas High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Highest |
7.2Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.