Compare towns
Harvard vs Merrimack vs Devens
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
Merrimack has the most affordable homes ($459k median).
Devens has the most renters (20.7% rent).
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 | Harvard | Merrimack | Devens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,927 |
28,164Highest |
1,723Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.7 13% above U.S. |
41.5±2.2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
48.6±4.3Highest 25% above U.S. |
| Devens and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
22%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.5%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Merrimack and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.3%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14%±5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Merrimack and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±4.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Devens and Merrimack are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $213,996±$24kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$127,219±$16kLowest 58% above U.S. |
$189,250±$63k 134% 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 | $833,600±$54kHighest 151% above U.S. |
$458,600±$15kLowest 38% above U.S. |
$556,800±$96k 67% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,321±$424Lowest 7% below U.S. |
$1,932±$147Highest 37% above U.S. |
$1,500±$539 6% above U.S. |
| Merrimack and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$7,345 135% above U.S. |
$5,556Lowest 78% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.5%±51.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
34.9%±9.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
85.4%±64.7Highest 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 | 4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
25.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 44.8%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.5%±11.5 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 | #12 of 282 in MA | #58 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Harvard | Merrimack School District | — |
| High school in town | The Bromfield High School | Merrimack High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0Lowest |
12.5Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 12 photos → | None yet | None yet |
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.