Compare towns
Oakham vs Wareham vs Windsor vs Spencer
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 kids (18.2% under 18).
Wareham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
Windsor has the most people working from home (21.2%).
Spencer has the most renters (37% 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 | Wareham | Windsor | Spencer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,639 |
23,302Highest |
1,065Lowest |
12,008 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% MA: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49±2.3 23% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
44.8±6.4Lowest 12% above MA |
48.9±6.8 22% above MA |
| Wareham and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±3.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
15.8%±5.1 MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Oakham and Spencer 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% |
26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.6%±4.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26%±4.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Wareham and Spencer 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% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
41.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
29.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham and Spencer 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 |
$90,383±$11k 13% below MA |
$115,563±$10kHighest 11% above MA |
$80,533±$11kLowest 23% below MA |
| Windsor and Oakham 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 |
$424,500±$21kHighest 24% below MA |
$389,700±$32k 31% below MA |
$382,000±$22kLowest 32% below MA |
| Wareham and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,174±$81 33% below MA |
$1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA |
— | $1,078±$161Lowest 39% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,103 32% below MA |
$4,341 28% below MA |
$3,867Lowest 35% below MA |
$4,387Highest 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±69.1 MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±10.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Wareham 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% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
11%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.6% MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
96.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
63%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 39 minHighest 32% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
37 min 27% above MA |
34 min 18% above MA |
| Work from home | 9.6%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
21.2%±5.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
15%±7.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Windsor 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 | — | #272 of 282 in MA | — | #261 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | Wareham | — | Spencer-E Brookfield |
| High school in town | None in town | Wareham Senior High | — | David Prouty High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.6Lowest |
— | 9.9Highest |
| 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.