Compare towns
New Braintree vs Oakham vs Ware
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
New Braintree has the most kids (20% under 18).
Oakham has the most expensive homes ($420k median).
Ware has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).
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 | New Braintree | Oakham | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 973Lowest |
1,639 |
10,048Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.3% MA: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.8±4.6 20% above MA |
49±2.3Highest 23% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
| Oakham and New Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.2%±3.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
| New Braintree and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.6%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.4%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| New Braintree and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
40.3% MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Ware and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $99,500±$8k 4% below MA |
$102,000±$20kHighest about the MA average |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
| Oakham and New Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $408,800±$27k 27% below MA |
$420,100±$20kHighest 25% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
| Oakham and New Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,484±$316Highest 16% below MA |
$1,174±$81 33% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
| New Braintree and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,508Highest 8% below MA |
$4,103Lowest 32% below MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±51.2 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±69.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and New Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.2% MA: 10% |
4.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.8% MA: 62.5% |
91.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 min 26% above MA |
39 minHighest 32% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 7.4%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
9.6%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Highest 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 | — | — | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | Quabbin | Ware |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.1 |
| 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.