Compare towns
Oakham vs Reading vs Spencer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Oakham has the highest household income ($102k).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
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 | Reading | Spencer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,639 |
699Lowest |
12,008Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49±2.3 26% above U.S. |
51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S. |
48.9±6.8Lowest 26% above U.S. |
| Reading 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 U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±4.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Reading and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Reading and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Spencer 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±$20kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$85,000±$19k 5% above U.S. |
$80,533±$11kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Oakham and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $420,100±$20kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$377,200±$72kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$382,000±$22k 15% above U.S. |
| Oakham and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,174±$81Highest 17% below U.S. |
$1,100±$331 22% below U.S. |
$1,078±$161Lowest 24% below U.S. |
| Oakham and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,103Lowest 32% above U.S. |
$5,754Highest 84% above U.S. |
$4,387 41% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±69.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±10.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
11%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
63%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 39 minHighest 46% above U.S. |
33 minLowest 25% above U.S. |
34 min 30% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.6%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15%±7.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | — | — | #261 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Spencer-E Brookfield |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | David Prouty High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.9 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.