Compare towns
Oakham vs Heath 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 expensive homes ($420k median).
Heath has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.4%).
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 | Heath | New Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,639Highest |
765Lowest |
973 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-0.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49±2.3 23% above MA |
53.8±11.9Highest 35% above MA |
47.8±4.6Lowest 20% above MA |
| Heath 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% |
13.1%±2.8Lowest 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% |
33.6%±8.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
25.6%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Heath 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% |
46.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±2.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±2.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Oakham and Heath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $102,000±$20kHighest about the MA average |
$98,750±$23kLowest 5% below MA |
$99,500±$8k 4% below MA |
| 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 | $420,100±$20kHighest 25% below MA |
$295,000±$45kLowest 48% below MA |
$408,800±$27k 27% 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 | $1,174±$81Lowest 33% below MA |
— | $1,484±$316Highest 16% 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 | $4,103Lowest 32% below MA |
$4,438 26% below MA |
$5,508Highest 8% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±69.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
40%±100 MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±51.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| New Braintree and Heath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.6% MA: 10% |
7.2%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
88.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 15 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 39 minHighest 32% above MA |
35 minLowest 20% above MA |
37 min 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 9.6%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
31.7%±17.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.4%±3.4Lowest 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.