Compare towns
Oakham vs Webster vs Barre 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 homeowners (91.6%).
Webster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
Barre has the highest household income ($108k).
Spencer has the most people working from home (15%).
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 | Webster | Barre | Spencer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,639Lowest |
17,748Highest |
5,572 |
12,008 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.4% MA: +7.4% |
+2.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49±2.3Highest 23% above MA |
39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
43.8±8.5 9% above MA |
48.9±6.8 22% 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% |
19.6%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.8%±5.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Webster 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% |
19.6%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
19%±5.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26%±4.4Highest 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
25.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
31.6% MA: 47.3% |
29.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±3.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Webster and Barre 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 |
$72,895±$6kLowest 30% below MA |
$107,727±$13kHighest 4% above MA |
$80,533±$11k 23% below MA |
| Barre 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±$20kHighest 25% below MA |
$361,500±$12kLowest 36% below MA |
$394,300±$55k 30% below MA |
$382,000±$22k 32% below MA |
| Oakham and Barre 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 |
$1,228±$81Highest 30% below MA |
$1,030±$713Lowest 42% below MA |
$1,078±$161 39% below MA |
| Webster and Oakham 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 |
$3,999Lowest 33% below MA |
$5,163Highest 14% below MA |
$4,387 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±69.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
38.2%±27.5 MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±10.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Spencer and Webster 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% |
12.7%Highest MA: 10% |
8.2% MA: 10% |
11% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.8% MA: 62.5% |
63% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 39 minHighest 32% above MA |
31 minLowest 5% above MA |
36 min 24% above MA |
34 min 18% above MA |
| Work from home | 9.6%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
11.2%±4.6 MA: 18.6% |
15%±7.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Spencer and Barre 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 | — | #271 of 282 in MA | #134 of 282 in MA | #261 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | Webster | Quabbin | Spencer-E Brookfield |
| High school in town | None in town | Bartlett High School | Quabbin Regional High School | David Prouty High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.6 |
12.9Highest |
9.9Lowest |
| 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.