Compare towns
Windsor vs Buzzards Bay vs Cheshire vs Oakham
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%).
Buzzards Bay has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Cheshire has the most affordable homes ($268k median).
Oakham has the most kids (18.2% under 18).
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 | Buzzards Bay | Cheshire | Oakham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,065Lowest |
2,909 |
3,216Highest |
1,639 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.7% MA: +7.4% |
-2.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.8±6.4Lowest 12% above MA |
54.4±5.9Highest 36% above MA |
53.7±4.5 34% above MA |
49±2.3 23% above MA |
| Buzzards Bay and Cheshire 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% |
6.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
15.3%±4.2 MA: 19.4% |
18.2%±3.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Oakham and Windsor 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% |
32.3%±5.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
30.5%±7.1 MA: 17.9% |
21.4%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Buzzards Bay and Cheshire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
29.6% MA: 47.3% |
26.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
40.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
5%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Buzzards Bay and Cheshire 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 |
$94,388±$12k 9% below MA |
$69,803±$14kLowest 33% below MA |
$102,000±$20k about the MA average |
| 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 |
$454,500±$28kHighest 19% below MA |
$268,200±$48kLowest 52% below MA |
$420,100±$20k 25% below MA |
| Buzzards Bay and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,484±$601Highest 16% below MA |
— | $1,174±$81Lowest 33% below MA |
| Buzzards Bay and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,867 35% below MA |
$3,405 43% below MA |
$3,005Lowest 50% below MA |
$4,103Highest 32% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
37.9%±20.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
21.2%±24 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±69.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Buzzards Bay and Oakham 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% |
7.3% MA: 10% |
8.6%Highest MA: 10% |
4.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89% MA: 62.5% |
91.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1964 same as MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 min 27% above MA |
32 min 10% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
39 minHighest 32% above MA |
| Work from home | 21.2%±5.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±6.3 MA: 18.6% |
4.4%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
9.6%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Windsor and Buzzards Bay 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 | — | — | #274 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | — | Hoosac Valley Regional | Quabbin |
| High school in town | — | — | Hoosac Valley High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.5 |
— |
| 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.