Compare towns
New Braintree vs Plainfield vs Oakham
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.3%).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Oakham has the most expensive homes ($420k median).
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 | Plainfield | Oakham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 973 |
616Lowest |
1,639Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2.3% MA: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.8±4.6Lowest 20% above MA |
50.6±9.5Highest 27% above MA |
49±2.3 23% above MA |
| Plainfield and Oakham 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% |
19%±9.3 MA: 19.4% |
18.2%±3.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| New Braintree and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.6%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
29.5%±7.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.4%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Plainfield and New Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.4% MA: 47.3% |
52.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
40.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Plainfield 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 |
$63,500±$14kLowest 39% below MA |
$102,000±$20kHighest about the MA average |
| 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 |
$309,000±$47kLowest 45% below MA |
$420,100±$20kHighest 25% 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 |
$1,292±$558 27% below MA |
$1,174±$81Lowest 33% below MA |
| New Braintree and Plainfield 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 |
$4,458 26% below MA |
$4,103Lowest 32% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±51.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
40%±100 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±69.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| New Braintree and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.2% MA: 10% |
16.9%Highest MA: 10% |
4.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
98%Highest MA: 62.5% |
91.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
1974Lowest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minLowest 26% above MA |
38 min 30% above MA |
39 minHighest 32% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.4%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
26.2%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.6%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | Quabbin | — | Quabbin |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.