Compare towns
Windsor vs Stow 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 affordable homes ($390k median).
Stow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.9%).
Oakham has the oldest population (median age 49).
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 | Stow | Oakham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,065Lowest |
7,165Highest |
1,639 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.8±6.4 12% above MA |
44.1±4.4Lowest 10% above MA |
49±2.3Highest 23% above MA |
| Oakham and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±5.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.2%±3.1 MA: 19.4% |
| Stow 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% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
21.4%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Oakham and Stow 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% |
75.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
40.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±2.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Oakham and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $115,563±$10k 11% above MA |
$185,809±$22kHighest 79% above MA |
$102,000±$20kLowest about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $389,700±$32kLowest 31% below MA |
$729,600±$39kHighest 30% above MA |
$420,100±$20k 25% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,782±$126Highest about the MA average |
$1,174±$81Lowest 33% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,867Lowest 35% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,103 32% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±69.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Stow 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% |
5.2%Highest MA: 10% |
4.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
91.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 min 27% above MA |
36 minLowest 23% above MA |
39 minHighest 32% above MA |
| Work from home | 21.2%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.6%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #44 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Nashoba | Quabbin |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.