Compare towns
Devens vs Woonsocket vs Shirley vs Harvard
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 oldest population (median age 48.6).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Shirley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.8%).
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
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 | Harvard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,723 |
43,521Highest |
1,146Lowest |
6,927 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.1% 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. |
44.1±4.7 13% above U.S. |
| 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% |
21.1%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Harvard 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%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.3%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Harvard 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
62%Highest 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% |
3.8%±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±$63k 134% above U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$108,494±$62k 34% above U.S. |
$213,996±$24kHighest 165% above U.S. |
| Harvard and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $556,800±$96k 67% above U.S. |
$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$395,800±$50k 19% above U.S. |
$833,600±$54kHighest 151% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,500±$539Highest 6% above U.S. |
$1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
$982±$797Lowest 31% below U.S. |
$1,321±$424 7% below U.S. |
| Devens and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,556 78% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$4,398 41% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% 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% |
72.5%±51.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Devens and Harvard 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
63.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4%Highest 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. |
1975Highest 5 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. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.5%±11.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.3%±17.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
44.8%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Harvard and Devens 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 | #12 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | — | Harvard |
| High school in town | — | Woonsocket High School | — | The Bromfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 15.2Highest |
— | 11.0Lowest |
| 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.