Compare towns
Oakham vs Upton vs Otis 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 most homeowners (91.6%).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Otis has the shortest commute (34 min average).
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 | Upton | Otis | New Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,639 |
8,189Highest |
1,624 |
973Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.4% MA: +7.4% |
-0.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49±2.3 23% above MA |
46.4±4.8Lowest 16% above MA |
51±3.2Highest 28% above MA |
47.8±4.6 20% above MA |
| Otis 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 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±4.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±4.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and New Braintree 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% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
28%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
25.6%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Otis and New Braintree 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% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
39.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
41.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±2.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Oakham and Otis 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 |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$108,898±$6k 5% above MA |
$99,500±$8kLowest 4% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $420,100±$20k 25% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$396,700±$40kLowest 29% below MA |
$408,800±$27k 27% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,174±$81 33% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,318±$924 25% below MA |
$1,484±$316Highest 16% below MA |
| New Braintree and Otis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,103 32% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$2,408Lowest 60% below MA |
$5,508 8% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±69.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
63.3%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±51.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Otis and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.4% MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
1.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.2%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.7% MA: 62.5% |
89.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1974Lowest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 39 minHighest 32% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
34 minLowest 15% above MA |
37 min 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 9.6%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.3%±7.7 MA: 18.6% |
7.4%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Otis 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 | — | #46 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | Quabbin | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Farmington River Reg | Quabbin |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.