Compare towns
Oakham vs Springfield vs New Braintree
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 most expensive homes ($420k median).
Springfield has the most people working from home (16.7%).
New Braintree has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.3%).
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 | Springfield | New Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,639Highest |
1,122 |
973Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49±2.3 26% above U.S. |
51.4±8.8Highest 32% above U.S. |
47.8±4.6Lowest 23% above U.S. |
| Springfield 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% |
15.1%±8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Oakham and New Braintree 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. |
$100,893±$19k 25% above U.S. |
$99,500±$8kLowest 23% above U.S. |
| Oakham and Springfield 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. |
$384,100±$50kLowest 15% above U.S. |
$408,800±$27k 23% above U.S. |
| Oakham and New Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,174±$81 17% below U.S. |
$1,096±$217Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,484±$316Highest 5% above U.S. |
| New Braintree and Oakham 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. |
$5,946Highest 91% above U.S. |
$5,508 77% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±69.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
25.9%±64.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.4%±51.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| New Braintree and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 39 minHighest 46% above U.S. |
34 minLowest 30% above U.S. |
37 min 39% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.6%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.7%±11.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.4%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Springfield and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| 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 |
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.