Compare towns
Plympton vs Harvard 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 kids (21.6% under 18).
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
Oakham has the most affordable homes ($420k 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 | Plympton | Harvard | Oakham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,935 |
6,927Highest |
1,639Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9% MA: +7.4% |
+5.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.2 16% above MA |
44.1±4.7Lowest 10% 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% |
21.1%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
18.2%±3.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Plympton and Harvard 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% |
16.3%±2.8Lowest 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62%Highest MA: 47.3% |
40.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±2.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $126,736±$20k 22% above MA |
$213,996±$24kHighest 106% above MA |
$102,000±$20kLowest about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $517,800±$52k 8% below MA |
$833,600±$54kHighest 48% above MA |
$420,100±$20kLowest 25% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $555±$148Lowest 69% below MA |
$1,321±$424Highest 25% below MA |
$1,174±$81 33% below MA |
| Harvard and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,628 11% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,103Lowest 32% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.8%±40.6 MA: 51.8% |
72.5%±51.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±69.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Harvard and Plympton 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% |
4.5% MA: 10% |
4.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
89.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
91.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 13% above MA |
32 minLowest 9% above MA |
39 minHighest 32% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 MA: 18.6% |
44.8%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.6%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #110 of 282 in MA | #12 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Plympton | Harvard | Quabbin |
| High school in town | None in town | The Bromfield High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.0 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.