Compare towns
West Boylston vs Devens vs Douglas
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
West Boylston has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Devens has the most people working from home (28.5%).
Douglas has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
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 | West Boylston | Devens | Douglas |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,782 |
1,723Lowest |
9,207Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.7% MA: +7.4% |
-7.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.5±2.7 14% above MA |
48.6±4.3Highest 22% above MA |
44±2.6Lowest 10% above MA |
| Devens and West Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.6 MA: 19.4% |
5.5%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Douglas and West Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.8%±3.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
14%±5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
21.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
41.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±4.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Douglas and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $104,551±$12kLowest about the MA average |
$189,250±$63kHighest 82% above MA |
$152,267±$10k 46% above MA |
| Devens and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $440,000±$24kLowest 22% below MA |
$556,800±$96kHighest about the MA average |
$470,600±$29k 16% below MA |
| Devens and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,261±$154Lowest 28% below MA |
$1,500±$539 15% below MA |
$1,503±$697Highest 15% below MA |
| Douglas and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,115 about the MA average |
$5,556Lowest 7% below MA |
$6,338Highest 6% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.9%±12.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
85.4%±64.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
33.9%±17.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Devens and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.6% MA: 10% |
25.3%Highest MA: 10% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
79.3% MA: 62.5% |
83.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 14% below MA |
28 min 4% below MA |
34 minHighest 16% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.7%±4.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
28.5%±11.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.9%±4.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Devens and Douglas 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 | #97 of 282 in MA | — | #177 of 282 in MA |
| School district | West Boylston | — | Douglas |
| High school in town | West Boylston Junior/Senior High | — | Douglas High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.6Highest |
— | 7.2Lowest |
| 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.