Compare towns
Plympton vs Barre vs Oakham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plympton has the most people working from home (19.3%).
Barre has the most renters (24.2% rent).
Oakham has the oldest population (median age 49).
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 | Plympton | Barre | Oakham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,935 |
5,572Highest |
1,639Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.4% MA: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.2 16% above MA |
43.8±8.5Lowest 9% above MA |
49±2.3Highest 23% above MA |
| Oakham and Plympton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.6%±5Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.8%±5.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.2%±3.1 MA: 19.4% |
| Plympton and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±5Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±5.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.4%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Plympton and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.4% MA: 47.3% |
31.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
40.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±3.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Barre and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $126,736±$20kHighest 22% above MA |
$107,727±$13k 4% above MA |
$102,000±$20kLowest about the MA average |
| Plympton and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $517,800±$52kHighest 8% below MA |
$394,300±$55kLowest 30% below MA |
$420,100±$20k 25% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $555±$148Lowest 69% below MA |
$1,030±$713 42% below MA |
$1,174±$81Highest 33% below MA |
| Oakham and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,628Highest 11% above MA |
$5,163 14% below MA |
$4,103Lowest 32% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.8%±40.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
38.2%±27.5 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±69.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Plympton and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.3%Highest MA: 10% |
8.2% MA: 10% |
4.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
91.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minLowest 13% above MA |
36 min 24% above MA |
39 minHighest 32% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.2%±4.6 MA: 18.6% |
9.6%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Plympton 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 | #110 of 282 in MA | #134 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Plympton | Quabbin | Quabbin |
| High school in town | None in town | Quabbin Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.