Compare towns
Colrain vs Dudley vs Ware vs Oakham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Colrain has the most affordable homes ($284k median).
Dudley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.7%).
Ware has the most people working from home (12.3%).
Oakham has the highest household income ($102k).
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 | Colrain | Dudley | Ware | Oakham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,627Lowest |
11,929Highest |
10,048 |
1,639 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
-2.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±8.7Highest 24% above MA |
40.2±2.4Lowest about the MA average |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
49±2.3 23% above MA |
| Colrain and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±4.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±3.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
18.2%±3.1 MA: 19.4% |
| Dudley and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 30.4%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
21.4%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.3% MA: 47.3% |
24.1% MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
40.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $80,673±$10k 22% below MA |
$84,604±$12k 19% below MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$102,000±$20kHighest about the MA average |
| Oakham and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $284,300±$14kLowest 49% below MA |
$392,600±$19k 30% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$420,100±$20kHighest 25% below MA |
| Oakham and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,102±$77 37% below MA |
$1,217±$182Highest 31% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,174±$81 33% below MA |
| Dudley and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,317Highest 28% below MA |
$3,691Lowest 38% below MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$4,103 32% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46%±22.8 MA: 51.8% |
47.4%±4.1 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±69.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.2% MA: 10% |
6.4% MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
4.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5% MA: 62.5% |
73.1% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
91.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 1 yr older than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 15% above MA |
27 minLowest 6% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
39 minHighest 32% above MA |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.6%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Ware and Oakham 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 | — | #142 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Mohawk Trail | Dudley-Charlton Reg | Ware | Quabbin |
| High school in town | None in town | Shepherd Hill Regional High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.3Highest |
11.1Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.