Compare towns
Winchendon vs Mapleton vs Ware vs Oxford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Winchendon has the youngest population (median age 39.6).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Ware has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).
Oxford has the most people working from home (16.4%).
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 | Winchendon | Mapleton | Ware | Oxford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,440 |
1,884Lowest |
10,048 |
13,385Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.6±1.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.8±6 7% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
42±2.8 8% above U.S. |
| Ware and Oxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Mapleton and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.9%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ware and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
29.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Oxford and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $75,690±$14k 6% below U.S. |
$91,731±$25k 14% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$103,862±$10kHighest 29% above U.S. |
| Oxford and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $323,800±$19k about the U.S. average |
$191,800±$23kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$374,900±$18kHighest 13% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,255±$163Highest 11% below U.S. |
$610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,177±$142 17% below U.S. |
| Winchendon and Oxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,780 21% above U.S. |
$1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$4,622Highest 48% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.7%±17.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.8%±15.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
28 min 7% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.2%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Oxford and Ware 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 | #269 of 282 in MA | — | #267 of 282 in MA | #245 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Winchendon | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Ware | Oxford |
| High school in town | Murdock High School | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Oxford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Highest |
— | 11.1 |
10.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 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.