Compare towns
Devens vs Wakefield 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 highest household income ($189k).
Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
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 | Wakefield | Shirley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,723Lowest |
27,793Highest |
6,976 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±4.3Highest 22% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
44.3±3.4 11% above MA |
| 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 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±4.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Wakefield and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14%±5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±5.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Shirley and Wakefield 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% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
36.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.2 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.7%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| 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 82% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
$122,365±$16kLowest 18% above MA |
| Devens and Wakefield 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 |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
$427,600±$36kLowest 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,500±$539 15% below MA |
$1,958±$102Highest 11% above MA |
$1,481±$421Lowest 16% below MA |
| Wakefield 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 |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
$5,156Lowest 14% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±64.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest 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% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
9.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
77.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% below MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
40 minHighest 39% above MA |
| Work from home | 28.5%±11.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
21%±7.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Devens and Wakefield 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 | — | #179 of 282 in MA | #239 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Ayer Shirley School District |
| High school in town | — | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.