Compare towns
Oakham vs Lenox 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%).
Lenox has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.4%).
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 | Lenox | New Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,639 |
5,079Highest |
973Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+1.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-0.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49±2.3 23% above MA |
60.1±4.3Highest 50% above MA |
47.8±4.6Lowest 20% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±3.1 MA: 19.4% |
13.3%±4.1Lowest 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% |
40.1%±7.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
25.6%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±2.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Lenox and Oakham 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 |
$106,080±$31kHighest about the MA average |
$99,500±$8kLowest 4% below MA |
| Lenox and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $420,100±$20k 25% below MA |
$466,700±$43kHighest 17% below MA |
$408,800±$27kLowest 27% below MA |
| Lenox and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,174±$81 33% below MA |
$1,091±$238Lowest 38% 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 |
$5,299 12% below MA |
$5,508Highest 8% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±69.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.2%±18.8 MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±51.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| New Braintree and Lenox 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% |
8.5%Highest MA: 10% |
7.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
1966Lowest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 39 minHighest 32% above MA |
23 minLowest 22% below MA |
37 min 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 9.6%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
18.3%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.4%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Lenox and Oakham 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 | — | #90 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Quabbin | Lenox | Quabbin |
| High school in town | None in town | Lenox Memorial High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.6 |
— |
| 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.