Compare towns
Oakham vs Ware vs Warren
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).
Ware has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).
Warren has the most renters (35.5% 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 | Ware | Warren |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,639Lowest |
10,048Highest |
5,009 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49±2.3Highest 23% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
38.7±7.3Lowest 3% below MA |
| Oakham and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±3.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Warren and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
14.6%±4.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Oakham and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
23.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Ware 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 about the MA average |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
$66,082±$6kLowest 36% below MA |
| Oakham and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $420,100±$20kHighest 25% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$333,700±$35k 41% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,174±$81Highest 33% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$890±$174Lowest 49% below MA |
| Oakham and Ware 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 |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$4,530Highest 24% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±69.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
29.7%±18.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Warren 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% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
64.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 39 minHighest 32% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
33 min 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 9.6%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.5%±5.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Ware and Oakham 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 | — | #267 of 282 in MA | #165 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | Ware | Quaboag Regional |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Quaboag Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Highest |
10.0Lowest |
| 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.