Compare towns
New Braintree vs Ware 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
Ware has the most people working from home (16.6%).
Ware has grown the fastest since 2010 (+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 | Ware | Ware | Oakham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 973Lowest |
6,369 |
10,048Highest |
1,639 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.3% MA: +7.4% |
+1.6% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.8±4.6 20% above MA |
39.8±6Lowest about the MA average |
43.1±4.7 8% 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% |
23.3%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
18.2%±3.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Ware 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% |
17.4%±3.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
15.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
40.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±2.1 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 |
$45,158±$11kLowest 57% below MA |
$67,475±$15k 35% 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 |
$253,400±$31kLowest 55% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% 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 |
$1,039±$104Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% 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 | $5,508Highest 8% below MA |
$3,408Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$4,103 32% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±51.2 MA: 51.8% |
64.5%±17.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±69.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.2% MA: 10% |
14.1%Highest MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
4.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.8% MA: 62.5% |
57.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
91.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 min 26% above MA |
27 minLowest 9% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
39 minHighest 32% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.4%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16.6%±5Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
9.6%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Ware and Ware 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Quabbin | — | Ware | Quabbin |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.1 |
— |
| 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.