Compare towns
New Braintree vs Upton 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 the most affordable homes ($409k median).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Oakham has the oldest population (median age 49).
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 | Upton | Oakham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 973Lowest |
8,189Highest |
1,639 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.3% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.8±4.6 20% above MA |
46.4±4.8Lowest 16% above MA |
49±2.3Highest 23% 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%±4.4 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.2%±3.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and New Braintree 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% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.4%±2.3 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% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
40.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±2.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Oakham and New Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $99,500±$8kLowest 4% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$102,000±$20k about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $408,800±$27kLowest 27% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$420,100±$20k 25% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,484±$316Highest 16% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,174±$81 33% 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 | $5,508 8% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,103Lowest 32% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±51.2 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±69.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Upton 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%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.8% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
91.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1979Lowest 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 min 26% above MA |
35 minLowest 22% above MA |
39 minHighest 32% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.4%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.6%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #46 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Quabbin | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Quabbin |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
— |
| 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.