Compare towns
Whately vs Webster vs Hatfield vs Oakham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Whately has the most people working from home (20.4%).
Webster has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Hatfield has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Oakham has the most homeowners (91.6%).
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 | Whately | Webster | Hatfield | Oakham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,499Lowest |
17,748Highest |
3,325 |
1,639 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+2.2% MA: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.3±6.7Highest 23% above MA |
39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
46.8±5 17% above MA |
49±2.3 23% above MA |
| Whately and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
14%±4.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.2%±3.1 MA: 19.4% |
| Webster and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.5%±6.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
23.3%±4.6 MA: 17.9% |
21.4%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Whately and Hatfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.6% MA: 47.3% |
25.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
48.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
40.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.6 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Webster and Hatfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $116,563±$15kHighest 12% above MA |
$72,895±$6kLowest 30% below MA |
$89,005±$25k 14% below MA |
$102,000±$20k about the MA average |
| Whately and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $431,500±$22k 23% below MA |
$361,500±$12kLowest 36% below MA |
$440,800±$26kHighest 22% below MA |
$420,100±$20k 25% below MA |
| Hatfield and Whately are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $977±$125Lowest 45% below MA |
$1,228±$81 30% below MA |
$1,267±$216Highest 28% below MA |
$1,174±$81 33% below MA |
| Hatfield and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,027Highest 16% below MA |
$3,999Lowest 33% below MA |
$4,930 18% below MA |
$4,103 32% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.7%±29Lowest MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
42.6%±11.8 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±69.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Webster and Hatfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.4% MA: 10% |
12.7%Highest MA: 10% |
8.9% MA: 10% |
4.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2% MA: 62.5% |
59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
74.6% MA: 62.5% |
91.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 21% below MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
20 minLowest 30% below MA |
39 minHighest 32% above MA |
| Work from home | 20.4%±8.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16%±6.3 MA: 18.6% |
9.6%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Whately and Hatfield 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 | — | #271 of 282 in MA | #198 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Whately | Webster | Hatfield | Quabbin |
| High school in town | None in town | Bartlett High School | Smith Academy | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.6Highest |
6.1Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.