Compare towns
New Braintree vs Ware vs Oakham vs Westhampton
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).
Ware has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).
Oakham has the highest household income ($102k).
Westhampton has the most people working from home (14.1%).
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 | Oakham | Westhampton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 973Lowest |
10,048Highest |
1,639 |
1,552 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.3% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+0.9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.8±4.6 20% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
49±2.3 23% above MA |
49.3±4.9Highest 23% above MA |
| Westhampton 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% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
18.2%±3.1 MA: 19.4% |
18%±4.1Lowest 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% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.4%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
25.4%±2.8 MA: 17.9% |
| New Braintree and Westhampton 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% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
40.3% MA: 47.3% |
47%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±2.4 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 |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$102,000±$20kHighest about the MA average |
$100,000±$7k 4% below MA |
| Oakham and Westhampton 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 |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$420,100±$20kHighest 25% below MA |
$413,200±$24k 26% below MA |
| Oakham and Westhampton 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 |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,174±$81 33% below MA |
$1,304±$229 26% below MA |
| New Braintree and Westhampton 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 |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$4,103Lowest 32% below MA |
$6,476Highest 8% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±51.2 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±69.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
33.3%±53.5 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% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
4.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.8% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
91.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
91.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
1969 5 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 min 26% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
39 minHighest 32% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 7.4%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
9.6%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
14.1%±4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Westhampton 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 | — | — |
| School district | Quabbin | Ware | Quabbin | Hampshire · Westhampton |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town | Hampshire Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Highest |
— | 10.0Lowest |
| 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.