Compare towns
Oakham vs North Reading vs Spencer
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%).
North Reading has the most people working from home (26.1%).
Spencer has the most renters (37% rent).
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 | North Reading | Spencer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,639Lowest |
15,765Highest |
12,008 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49±2.3Highest 23% above MA |
43±2.8Lowest 8% above MA |
48.9±6.8 22% above MA |
| Oakham and Spencer 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% |
22.3%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| North Reading and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
16.7%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26%±4.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Spencer 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% MA: 47.3% |
56.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
29.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Spencer and North Reading 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 |
$147,768±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$80,533±$11kLowest 23% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $420,100±$20k 25% below MA |
$710,500±$24kHighest 26% above MA |
$382,000±$22kLowest 32% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,174±$81 33% below MA |
$2,259±$356Highest 28% above MA |
$1,078±$161Lowest 39% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,103Lowest 32% below MA |
$9,693Highest 62% above MA |
$4,387 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±69.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
75.5%±25.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±10.3 MA: 51.8% |
| North Reading and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.4% MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
11%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
84.3% MA: 62.5% |
63%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 39 minHighest 32% above MA |
34 minLowest 15% above MA |
34 min 18% above MA |
| Work from home | 9.6%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
26.1%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
15%±7.3 MA: 18.6% |
| North Reading and Spencer 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 | — | #33 of 282 in MA | #261 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | North Reading | Spencer-E Brookfield |
| High school in town | None in town | North Reading High | David Prouty High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.1Highest |
9.9Lowest |
| 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.