Compare towns
Oxford vs Ware vs Leicester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Oxford has the most people working from home (16.4%).
Ware has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).
Leicester has the most expensive homes ($413k median).
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 | Ware | Leicester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,385Highest |
10,048Lowest |
11,113 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42±2.8Lowest 5% above MA |
43.1±4.7Highest 8% above MA |
42.4±3.5 6% above MA |
| Ware and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Oxford and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.6%±2.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.9%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Ware and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.6% MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
31%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.7%±2.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
| Oxford and Leicester 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 about the MA average |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$105,173±$9kHighest about the MA average |
| Leicester 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 33% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$413,100±$23kHighest 27% below MA |
| Leicester 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 33% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,487±$258Highest 16% below MA |
| Leicester and Oxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,622Highest 23% below MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$4,452 26% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.8%±15.9 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
29.7%±14.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Oxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.7% MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.8% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
88.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
28 minHighest about the MA average |
27 minLowest 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 16.4%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
13.1%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Oxford and Leicester 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #222 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Oxford | Ware | Leicester |
| High school in town | Oxford High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Leicester High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
11.1Highest |
10.7 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.