Compare towns
Oakham vs Spencer vs Upton
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%).
Spencer has the most renters (37% rent).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
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 | Spencer | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,639Lowest |
12,008Highest |
8,189 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49±2.3Highest 23% above MA |
48.9±6.8 22% above MA |
46.4±4.8Lowest 16% 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% |
16.4%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton 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% |
26%±4.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest 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% |
29.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| 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±$20k about the MA average |
$80,533±$11kLowest 23% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $420,100±$20k 25% below MA |
$382,000±$22kLowest 32% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,174±$81Highest 33% below MA |
$1,078±$161 39% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
| Oakham and Spencer 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 |
$4,387 27% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±69.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±10.3 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Upton 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% |
11%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
63%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 39 minHighest 32% above MA |
34 minLowest 18% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 9.6%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
15%±7.3 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Upton 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 | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | Spencer-E Brookfield | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | None in town | David Prouty High | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.9Lowest |
11.2Highest |
| 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.