Compare towns
Oakham vs Needham 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 oldest population (median age 49).
Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
New Braintree has the most affordable homes ($409k 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 | Oakham | Needham | New Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,639 |
32,459Highest |
973Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-0.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49±2.3Highest 23% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
47.8±4.6 20% 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 | 18.2%±3.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±4.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
25.6%±2.5Highest 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+ | 40.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Needham 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 |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$99,500±$8kLowest 4% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $420,100±$20k 25% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$408,800±$27kLowest 27% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,174±$81Lowest 33% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,484±$316 16% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,103Lowest 32% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$5,508 8% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±69.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±51.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Needham and New Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.4% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.2%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 39 minHighest 32% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
37 min 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 9.6%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.4%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #19 of 282 in MA | — |
| 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.