Compare towns
Windsor vs Dummerston vs Oakham vs Cheshire
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windsor has the highest household income ($116k).
Dummerston has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Oakham has the most expensive homes ($420k median).
Cheshire has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.7%).
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 | Dummerston | Oakham | Cheshire |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,065Lowest |
2,090 |
1,639 |
3,216Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.8±6.4Lowest 15% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7 17% above U.S. |
49±2.3 26% above U.S. |
53.7±4.5Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Cheshire and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dummerston 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cheshire and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
26.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cheshire 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 43% above U.S. |
$101,696±$21k 26% above U.S. |
$102,000±$20k 26% above U.S. |
$69,803±$14kLowest 14% below U.S. |
| 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 17% above U.S. |
$335,300±$22k about the U.S. average |
$420,100±$20kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$268,200±$48kLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Oakham and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,392±$126Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,174±$81Lowest 17% below U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,867 24% above U.S. |
$4,536Highest 45% above U.S. |
$4,103 32% above U.S. |
$3,005Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.8%±69.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
21.2%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dummerston 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
89%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 min 41% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
39 minHighest 46% above U.S. |
29 min 10% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.2%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.6%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
4.4%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dummerston and Windsor 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 | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Quabbin | Hoosac Valley Regional |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | Hoosac Valley High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 10.5 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.