Compare towns
Devens vs Upton vs Ware vs Ayer
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k 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 | Upton | Ware | Ayer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,723Lowest |
8,189 |
10,048Highest |
3,098 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
+4.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±4.3Highest 22% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
42.1±6.9Lowest 5% 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% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±5.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Ayer 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% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
15.3%±5.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Ware 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% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
37.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±3 MA: 7.9% |
| Devens and Ware 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 |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$74,878±$17k 28% below 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 |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$444,600±$43k 21% 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±$539Highest 15% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$1,240±$169 30% below MA |
| Devens and Ayer 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 |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$4,911 18% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±64.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
46.9%±21.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Devens and Ware 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% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
6.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.3% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
58.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1952 12 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 28.5%±11.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±6.1 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #113 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Ware | — |
| High school in town | — | Blackstone Valley | Ware Junior/Senior High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Highest |
11.1Lowest |
— |
| 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.