Compare towns
Devens vs Woonsocket vs Shirley 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).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Shirley has the oldest housing (typical home built 1938).
Ayer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).
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 | Woonsocket | Shirley | Ayer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,723 |
43,521Highest |
1,146Lowest |
8,645 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±4.3Highest 25% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
44.2±14.6 14% above U.S. |
39.2±2.8 about the U.S. average |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±8.8 U.S.: 22% |
20.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Ayer 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% |
14.7%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.8%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Shirley and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
8%±6.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 134% above U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$108,494±$62k 34% above U.S. |
$101,875±$15k 26% above U.S. |
| Devens and Shirley 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. |
$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$395,800±$50k 19% above U.S. |
$463,800±$29k 39% 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±$539Highest 6% above U.S. |
$1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
$982±$797Lowest 31% below U.S. |
$1,415±$180 about the U.S. average |
| Devens and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,556Highest 78% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$4,398 41% above U.S. |
$5,057 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±64.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.3%±15Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±14.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Devens and Woonsocket 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% |
18.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
63.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
32 min 19% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.5%±11.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.3%±17.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±5.9 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 | — | #37 of 38 in RI | #239 of 282 in MA | #113 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | — | Ayer Shirley School District |
| High school in town | — | Woonsocket High School | — | Ayer Shirley Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 15.2Highest |
— | 11.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → |
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.