Compare towns
Oxford vs Putnam vs Auburn
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Oxford has the most people working from home (16.4%).
Putnam has the most renters (49.3% rent).
Auburn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.3%).
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 | Oxford | Putnam | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,385 |
7,120Lowest |
16,970Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42±2.8 8% above U.S. |
41.2±5.1Lowest 6% above U.S. |
44.8±1.6Highest 15% above U.S. |
| Auburn and Oxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Oxford and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.6%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Auburn and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
18.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.7%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Oxford and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,862±$10k 29% above U.S. |
$65,511±$7kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$116,711±$10kHighest 45% above U.S. |
| Auburn and Oxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $374,900±$18k 13% above U.S. |
$245,100±$13kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$400,000±$16kHighest 20% above U.S. |
| Auburn and Oxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,177±$142 17% below U.S. |
$1,147±$43Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,467±$155Highest 4% above U.S. |
| Auburn and Oxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,622 48% above U.S. |
$3,564Lowest 14% above U.S. |
$5,289Highest 70% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.8%±15.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.2%±12.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.4%±10.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Oxford and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 7% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 16.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.7%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.1%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Oxford and Auburn 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 | #245 of 282 in MA | #128 of 149 in CT | #106 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Oxford | — | Auburn |
| High school in town | Oxford High | — | Auburn Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
— | 12.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.