Compare towns
Oakham vs Wellesley
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 affordable homes ($420k median).
Wellesley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.6%).
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 | Wellesley |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 1,639Lowest |
30,347Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49±2.3Highest 23% above MA |
37.1±2.2Lowest 7% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±3.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
24.1%±2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.5%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
89%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
18.3%±0.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $102,000±$20kLowest about the MA average |
$250,001Highest 140% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $420,100±$20kLowest 25% below MA |
$1,582,700±$49kHighest 182% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,174±$81Lowest 33% below MA |
$2,886±$360Highest 64% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,103Lowest 32% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±69.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
44.1%±8.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Wellesley and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 4.4%Highest MA: 10% |
4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
84.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 39 minHighest 32% above MA |
27 minLowest 7% below MA |
| Work from home | 9.6%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32%±2.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #6 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.