Compare towns
Devens vs Worcester vs East Brookfield
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%).
Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).
East Brookfield has the oldest population (median age 52.1).
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 | Worcester | East Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,723Lowest |
207,055Highest |
2,166 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±4.3 22% above MA |
33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
52.1±6.4Highest 30% above MA |
| East Brookfield 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% |
19.6%±0.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.3%±2.6 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 14%±5 MA: 17.9% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.7%±5.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
35.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.2 MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $189,250±$63kHighest 82% above MA |
$70,102±$2kLowest 33% below MA |
$81,042±$16k 22% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $556,800±$96kHighest about the MA average |
$374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA |
$381,200±$30k 32% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,500±$539Highest 15% below MA |
$1,487±$38 16% below MA |
$1,142±$33Lowest 35% below MA |
| Devens and Worcester 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 |
$4,733 21% below MA |
$4,430Lowest 26% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±64.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9 MA: 51.8% |
34.2%±39.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Devens and Worcester 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% |
19.6% MA: 10% |
7.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.3% MA: 62.5% |
42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1951 13 yrs older than MA |
1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% below MA |
24 minLowest 17% below MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 28.5%±11.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1 MA: 18.6% |
7.3%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #266 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Spencer-E Brookfield |
| High school in town | — | South High Community | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.6 |
— |
| 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.