What stands out worked out from the figures below

Winchendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.6%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Winchendon	Oxford
People
Population	10,440Lowest	13,385Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.6%Highest MA: +7.4%	-2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	39.6±1.9Lowest about the MA average	42±2.8Highest 5% above MA
	Oxford and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21.8%±3.9Highest MA: 19.4%	21.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Winchendon and Oxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.9%±2.7Highest MA: 17.9%	16.6%±2.7Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Winchendon and Oxford 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 MA: 47.3%	29.6%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.5%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9%	6.7%±2.1Highest MA: 7.9%
	Oxford and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$75,690±$14kLowest 27% below MA	$103,862±$10kHighest about the MA average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$323,800±$19kLowest 42% below MA	$374,900±$18kHighest 33% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,255±$163Highest 29% below MA	$1,177±$142Lowest 33% below MA
	Winchendon and Oxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,780Lowest 37% below MA	$4,622Highest 23% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	61.7%±17.6Highest MA: 51.8%	57.8%±15.9Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Winchendon and Oxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	18.5%Highest MA: 10%	7.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	76.6%Lowest MA: 62.5%	82.8%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA	1972Lowest 8 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minHighest 11% above MA	28 minLowest about the MA average
Work from home	11.2%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6%	16.4%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6%
	Oxford and Winchendon 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	#245 of 282 in MA
School district	Winchendon	Oxford
High school in town	Murdock High School	Oxford High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.3Highest	10.3Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.