New homes and new businesses have transformed Devens
The central Massachusetts neighborhood of Devens sits between the towns of Shirley, Ayer, Harvard and Lancaster. Formerly the site of Fort Devens, a U.S. Army training site built in 1917, it was closed in the 1980s and much of the land was sold in the 1990s. The surrounding community dedicated efforts to turn Devens into a thriving residential and business community. Since the late 1990s, the area has been transformed with subdivisions, business parks, hotels, restaurants, and a golf course. The remaining 57 acres that belong to the U.S. Army are occupied today by the David S. Connolly Armed Forces Reserve Center.
Today, the neighborhood of Devens, located in Worcester County, is home to about 1,700 residents and about 200 single-family homes, with more coming online monthly. Cyndi Deshaies, Realtor with Lamacchia Realty, Inc., and a Boston area real estate agent for six years explains the appeal of Devens, “Although much of the housing in Devens is fairly new, the neighborhood benefits from established assets like the strong school district, its proximity to historic Shirley, and having a nearby train station that goes right into Boston.”
Newer builds are popping up all over Devens.
Townhomes are a great option in Devens for those looking for something different.
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Local shops and new cafes delight shoppers
Locals stop by Shop ‘n Save for produce, organic foods and weekly specials. Mornings are a great time to stop by Ruby Donut to treat the kids or your coworkers. Deven’s Pizza and Deli offers homemade Greek pizza and meatball subs. Marty’s Corner Café is a great place to enjoy lunch at one of their sunny indoor or outdoor tables. Aubuchon Hardware has everything a new homeowner could need for their garage including shovels and snow blowers.
Marty's Corner Cafe is a tasty lunch spot in Devens.
The chicken ceasar wrap at Marty's Corner Cafe in Devens is a thing of legend.
Aubuchon Hardware in Devens has something for all your home improvement needs.
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The beach at Mirror Lake in Devens is often full of activity.
Residents stay as busy as they want to be in Devens
Devens offers a year-round calendar of events that includes Easter Egg Hunts, yard sales, food festivals and family fun days at Mirror Lake. Yoga fans clearly enjoy “Yoga on Rogers” held at Rogers Field Complex during the summer. The community also hosts several 5k races throughout the year. Weekends are a good time to visit popular small towns including Stockbridge, the childhood home of Normal Rockwell.
Two-story townhouses and New Traditional homes welcome buyers
Homeseekers will find new and recently built Colonial Revival as well as New Traditional homes in Devens. Two-story townhouses with attached garages are also popular in new subdivisions. Homes feature front porches, with well-landscaped front yards and sidewalks. While the median price for single-family homes as of mid-December 2023 was about $730,000, New Traditional, three-bedroom SMART homes from 2013 have recently sold for around $560,000. Brand new, energy-efficient, two-story townhouses in a planned community, facing a creek-fed pond, have sold for $685,000.
Well manicured landscaping comes standard in Devens.
Many homes in Devens come with front porches.
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Harvard district schools are highly-ranked
Kids in Devens can attend public schools in the Harvard school district with an overall Niche grade of A-plus. The Harvard district is rated the No. 3 best school district in Worcester County. Hildreth Elementary has an overall Niche grade of A and is rated the No. 5 best public elementary school in the county. The Bromfield School is a public school offering grades 6-12 with a student-teacher ratio of 11 to 1. It has an overall Niche grade of A and is ranked the No. 2 best public middle school in Worcester County. Applewild School, is a private day and boarding school that offers pre-kindergarten through 9th grade. It has earned an A-minus Niche grade.
The Applewild School is a prestegious boarding school serving the Devens area.
The Bromfield School is a wonderful place to go and learn in Devens.
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Fishing, boating, soccer and rugby are all hot in Devens
Mirror Lake is right in the middle of Devens and offers year-round fun. Its lakefront beach is open during the summer. The lake offers fishing, canoeing and kayaking and is zoned as a protected, conservation area. Rogers Field Complex’s 44-acres has sports fields and amenities for local soccer, lacrosse and rugby teams. Red Tail Golf Club offers an 18-hole golf course and a well-appointed clubhouse which members enjoy for weddings, parties and business events. The Red Tail Tavern offers indoor and outdoor dining for lunch and dinner.
Mirror Lake is a natural beauty in the Devens neighborhood.
Rodgers Field has many different sports options for Devens residents.
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Getting to Boston or around the region is easy with public transportation
MART provides regional shuttle service from Fitchburg and Leominster to Devens daily and connects riders to local commuter rail stations. Commuters can take trains into Boston or use commuter trains and then the “T,” Boston’s subway. With traffic, driving from Devens to Boston can take about an hour. George W. Stanton Highway/Route 2 is just outside the southern boundary of Devens and connects drivers to Interstate 495 in about 10 miles.
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Louis Barrows,
an experienced agent in this neighborhood.
Parks in this Area
Oak Hill Conservation Land
Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge
Ayer Dog Park
Pirone Park
Fitzgerald Park
General Field Conversation Area
Transit
Airport
Worcester Regional
49 min drive
Bus
Devens - Mwcc Campus
Crime and Safety
1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime
Devens
US
Homicide
3
4
Sexual Assault
2
4
Assault with Weapon
3
4
Robbery
3
4
Burglary
2
4
Motor Vehicle Theft
2
4
Larceny
2
4
Crime Score
3
4
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in Devens, Harvard sell after 77 days on the market compared to the national average of 47 days. The average sale price for homes in Devens, Harvard over the last 12 months is $475,000, down 11% from the average home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Home Trends
Median Price (12 Mo)
$475,000
Median Single Family Price
$475,000
Average Price Per Sq Ft
$287
Last 12 months Home Sales
1
Median List Price
$509,000
Median Discount From 1st List Price
7%
Median Home Sale Price YoY Change
3%
Home Facts
Number of Homes in Neighborhood
153
Median Year Built
2012
Avg. Single Family Home Size Sq Ft
2,051
Above the national average
1,935
Average Townhouse Size Sq Ft
1,547
Average 2 Bedroom Size Sq Ft
1,394
Median Lot Size Sq Ft
15,245
Distribution of Home Values
Source: Public Records
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Louis Barrows,
an experienced agent in this neighborhood.
Average Home Value
Source: Public Records
Property Mix - Square Feet
This Neighborhood Has More Owners
Demographics
Total Population
1,870
Median Age
48
Population Density
1 person/acre
Population under 18
8.7%
Below the national average
23.8%
Population over 65
16.7%
On par with the national average
19.1%
Finances
Median Household Income
$100,543
Significantly above the national average
$71,702
Average Household Income
$138,840
Education and Workforce
High School Graduates
88.9%
College Graduates
30%
On par with the national average
34.1%
Advanced Degrees
10.9%
% Population in Labor Force
34.5%
Significantly below the national average
65.1%
Weather
Annual Precipitation
44''
Average Winter Low Temperature
16°F
Average Summer High Temperature
83°F
Annual Snowfall
63''
Area Factors
Somewhat Bikeable
Bike Score®
27/ 100
Car-Dependent
Walk Score®
18/ 100
Source: Walk Score
Source: Walk Score
Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
