Compare towns
Oakham vs Salem 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 highest household income ($102k).
Salem has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.6%).
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 | Salem | New Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,639 |
44,795Highest |
973Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-0.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49±2.3Highest 23% above MA |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
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%±3.1 MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest 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%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±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% |
47.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $102,000±$20kHighest about the MA average |
$85,153±$5kLowest 18% 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±$20k 25% below MA |
$542,800±$18kHighest 3% below MA |
$408,800±$27kLowest 27% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,174±$81Lowest 33% below MA |
$1,836±$84Highest 4% above MA |
$1,484±$316 16% below MA |
| Salem and New Braintree 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 |
$6,114Highest about the MA average |
$5,508 8% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±69.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±51.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Salem 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%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
7.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 39 minHighest 32% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
37 min 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 9.6%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.4%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #248 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Quabbin | Salem | Quabbin |
| High school in town | None in town | Salem High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8 |
— |
| 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.