Compare towns
Oakham vs Chilmark vs New Braintree
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Oakham has the most homeowners (91.6%).
Chilmark has grown the fastest since 2010 (+40%).
New Braintree has the most kids (20% under 18).
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 | Oakham | Chilmark | New Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,639Highest |
1,578 |
973Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+40%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-0.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49±2.3 23% above MA |
53.6±8.1Highest 34% above MA |
47.8±4.6Lowest 20% above MA |
| Chilmark and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±3.1 MA: 19.4% |
16.7%±4.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| New Braintree and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
36.2%±12.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
25.6%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Chilmark 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+ | 40.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
68.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±2.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.7%±2.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±1.6 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 | $102,000±$20k about the MA average |
$168,750±$28kHighest 62% above MA |
$99,500±$8kLowest 4% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $420,100±$20k 25% below MA |
$1,895,300±$281kHighest 237% above MA |
$408,800±$27kLowest 27% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,174±$81Lowest 33% below MA |
$2,750±$2kHighest 56% above MA |
$1,484±$316 16% below MA |
| Chilmark and New Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,103Lowest 32% below MA |
$4,485 25% below MA |
$5,508Highest 8% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±69.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
30.8%±59.9 MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±51.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| New Braintree and Chilmark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.4% MA: 10% |
4.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.2%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
89.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 15 yrs newer than MA |
1984 20 yrs newer than MA |
1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 39 minHighest 32% above MA |
32 minLowest 8% above MA |
37 min 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 9.6%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±11Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.4%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | Quabbin | Up-Island Regional | Quabbin |
| High school in town | None 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.