Compare towns
Devens vs Wareham vs Ayer vs Millville
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).
Wareham has the oldest population (median age 52.1).
Ayer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).
Millville has the most homeowners (86.9%).
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 | Wareham | Ayer | Millville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,723Lowest |
23,302Highest |
8,645 |
3,160 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-0.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±4.3 22% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
39.2±2.8Lowest about the MA average |
46±2.2 15% above MA |
| Wareham and Devens 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% |
13.1%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
20.3%±3.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.7%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Ayer and Millville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14%±5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.5%±2.8 MA: 17.9% |
15.8%±5.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
27.1% MA: 47.3% |
42.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
30.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham 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 |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
$101,875±$15k about the MA average |
$127,188±$32k 22% above MA |
| Devens and Millville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $556,800±$96kHighest about the MA average |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
$463,800±$29k 17% below MA |
$444,600±$25k 21% below MA |
| 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 15% below MA |
$1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA |
$1,415±$180Lowest 20% below MA |
$1,468±$234 17% below MA |
| Wareham and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,556Highest 7% below MA |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
$5,057 16% below MA |
$5,327 11% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±64.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±14.2 MA: 51.8% |
36.2%±24.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Devens and Wareham 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% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
10.7% MA: 10% |
4.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.3% MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% below MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
32 min 10% above MA |
| Work from home | 28.5%±11.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±5.9 MA: 18.6% |
11.1%±4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | — | #272 of 282 in MA | #113 of 282 in MA | #180 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Wareham | Ayer Shirley School District | Blackstone-Millville |
| High school in town | — | Wareham Senior High | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.6Lowest |
11.5Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.