Compare towns
Windsor vs Bourne vs Oakham vs Dalton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windsor has the most people working from home (21.2%).
Bourne has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.5%).
Dalton has the most affordable homes ($296k 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 | Windsor | Bourne | Oakham | Dalton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,065Lowest |
20,323Highest |
1,639 |
6,256 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2.7% MA: +7.4% |
-6.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.8±6.4Lowest 12% above MA |
52±1.8Highest 30% above MA |
49±2.3 23% above MA |
49.7±5.8 24% above MA |
| Bourne and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±5.1 MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.2%±3.1 MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±4.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Dalton and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.6%±4.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.4%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
27.9%±5.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Bourne and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.5% MA: 47.3% |
46%Highest MA: 47.3% |
40.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
44.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
2.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Bourne and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $115,563±$10kHighest 11% above MA |
$91,058±$7k 12% below MA |
$102,000±$20k about the MA average |
$79,438±$8kLowest 24% below MA |
| Windsor and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $389,700±$32k 31% below MA |
$575,600±$28kHighest about the MA average |
$420,100±$20k 25% below MA |
$295,700±$26kLowest 47% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,379±$300Highest 22% below MA |
$1,174±$81 33% below MA |
$872±$70Lowest 51% below MA |
| Bourne and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,867Lowest 35% below MA |
$4,485Highest 25% below MA |
$4,103 32% below MA |
$4,276 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±69.1 MA: 51.8% |
41.2%±19 MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.2% MA: 10% |
4.4% MA: 10% |
7.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.8% MA: 62.5% |
91.6% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 min 27% above MA |
26 min 11% below MA |
39 minHighest 32% above MA |
22 minLowest 24% below MA |
| Work from home | 21.2%±5.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
9.6%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±7.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Windsor and Bourne 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 | — | #206 of 282 in MA | — | #192 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Quabbin | Central Berkshire |
| High school in town | — | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | None in town | Wahconah Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8Lowest |
— | 10.9Highest |
| 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.