West Brick School · National Register of Historic Places
Oakham’s story
277 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1909.
3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1749Oakham is settled
OakhamMA
3 bordering townsMap →
Photo: John Phelan · CC BY 3.0
Population
1,917
2025 Census estimate · +3.5% since 2020
Typical home
$481K
+2.3% in a year
Household income
$102K
median
Median age
49.0
years
Jobs based here
130
A commuter town
Is Oakham a good place to live?
The best of Oakham’s subject grades are an A− for safety and health and an A for the outdoors; the weakest is a D for walkability. Oakham’s average trip to work is 39 minutes, above both Massachusetts’ towns (30 minutes) and U.S. towns (25 minutes). On walkability, just 3 of Massachusetts’ 325 towns do worse. 38% of the land in Oakham is conserved, above both Massachusetts’ towns (19%) and U.S. towns (4.3%). Ware River Watershed, at 2,810 acres with 7.9 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve. Oakham has 3 places on the National Register. Oakham has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Oakham stand out
Where Oakham beats most towns.
West Brick SchoolHistoryA
Settled in 1749
3 places on the National Register
A history going back 277 years.
Community nonprofits per 1,000 residents
Oakham7.3
Typical U.S. town3.7
Typical MA town4.3
Civic lifeA
71% more nonprofits per person
than the typical Massachusetts town
Charities, civic groups and human services; churches not counted.
How Oakham grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Massachusetts), ordered by how far Oakham is from typical.
WalkabilityEPA walkability 3.8 of 20; 3.2% of households have no car; 0.4% of workers walk, bike or ride transitDOpen →SafetyA−Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 22% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listA−Open →HealthSt. Vincent Hospital 14 miles awayA−Open →Jobs & income$102K median household incomeB+Open →SchoolsCOpen →Cost of livingB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsAOpen →History3 places on the National Register; 2 notable people born hereAOpen →Civic life3.8 library visits per resident; 7.3 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsAOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 255 attractions →Lake Chaubunagungamaug and 76 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Oakham. Close and well known come first.
Big draw24 mi LakeLake Chaubunagungamaug
13 mi LakeQuabbin Reservoir
32 mi National Historic SiteSpringfield Armory National Historic Site14K visitors a year
36 mi LakeWalden Pond
35 mi MountainMount Monadnock
36 mi Theme parkSix Flags New EnglandSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Lake Chaubunagungamaug: Bree from Worcester, MA, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Quabbin Reservoir: engineerchange, CC BY 2.0 · Springfield Armory National Historic Site: National Park Service, Public domain · Walden Pond: Victorgrigas, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Mount Monadnock: Jonwmcinenrey, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Six Flags New England: Canadaolympic989, Public domain
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Oakham: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Oakham, and how to reach them.
PowerNational Grid33.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterSaint Josephs Abbey water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Oakham’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Massachusetts you can register online until 10 days before Election Day, in person until 10 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 10 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereOakham Town ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP code0106801068 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Oakham.
OutdoorsA
Conserved land covers nearly a third of Oakham
25 miles of trail in 5 parks and preserves. Oakham’s trail density is 1.2 miles per square mile.
38%conserved
38%
conserved · 5,131 of 13,495 acres
25 mi
of trails · 1.2 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Ware River Watershed | 7.9 mi | 2,810 |
| 2. Oakham Wildlife Management Area | 0.9 mi | 899 |
| 3. Barre Falls Flood Control Area | 0.7 mi | 233 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
SchoolsC
Oakham’s schools rank behind 72% of Massachusetts districts
Its public schools are run by the Quabbin school district. Its one school is below.
28%of MA districts it outscoresCSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oakham CenterLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–5 | Grades K–5 | 152 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MA on state tests and graduation
SafetyA−
Crime per resident in Oakham is lower than in 83% of U.S. towns
The property crime rate in Oakham is 2.6 per 1,000 residents.
83%of U.S. towns report more crimeA−Safety Grade
| Oakham | Massachusetts towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 2.6 per 1,000 residents | 4.9 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 1 per 1,000 residents | 1.5 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Oakham1
Massachusetts3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Oakham2.6
Massachusetts10.4
U.S.15.5
83rd
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
2
violent crimes reported in 2025
5
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
HealthA−
Oakham is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns
Oakham beats the Massachusetts average on 7 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 3. 26% of Oakham adults have been diagnosed with depression.
78%healthier than U.S. townsA−Health Grade
| Oakham | Massachusetts towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 24% | 23% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 17% | 16% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 83% | 82% | 79% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 28% | 35% |
32 measures vs. Massachusetts
7 better22 too close to call3 worse
| What stands out | Oakham | MA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 3.7% | 5.2% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 8.2% | 11.1% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.1% | 8.5% |
St. Vincent Hospital
14 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B+
Oakham has 0.1 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Most working residents leave Oakham for work: only 4% work in town. Jobs based in Oakham fell to 130 in 2023, 38 fewer than in 2013. 9.6% of workers work from home in Oakham.
4%work in town
| Oakham | Massachusetts towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work from home | 9.6% | 18% | 11% |
| Median household income | $102,000 | $120,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 4.4% | 6% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 3.8% | 9.8% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Oakham4%
Worcester20%
Boston6%
Barre3%
Rutland2%
19 mi
median commute distance
130
jobs based in Oakham
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
D
Walkability grade: more walkable than 6% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A−
Oakham faces a low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 78% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Oakham since 2005.
22risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHurricanesCold waves
1
paid flood claims since 2005
9
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HousingCost of living grade B−
A typical Oakham home is worth about $481K
The typical Oakham home is worth about $481,000, up 2.3% in a year, 27% below the Massachusetts typical home.
$481KZillow home value
| Oakham | Massachusetts towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 92% | 79% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,174 a month | $1,683 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Oakham$481K
Massachusetts$655K
+2.3%
value change, 1 year
2
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
In Oakham, expect snowy winters and pleasant summers
Oakham has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain. July afternoons reach 80°, January nights drop to 15° and about 43 inches of snow falls in a winter.
43″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter17–36°
Spring34–56°
Summer57–78°
Fall39–60°
Oct 21
typical first frost
Apr 23
typical last frost
+1.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Who lives here
Fewer young adults than Massachusetts overall
Adults 18 to 34 are 18% of residents (24% statewide). Oakham has grown 3.5% since 2020, to 1,917 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. 40% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 47% across Massachusetts.
49median age · MA 40
| Oakham | Massachusetts towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49 years | 43.4 years | 40.5 years |
| Under 18 | 18% | 20% | 22% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 40% | 47% | 29% |
| Aged 65 or older | 21% | 19% | 18% |
OakhamMassachusettsUnited States
Ages · share of residents
19%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma6%
High school25%
Some college19%
Associate’s10%
Bachelor’s24%
Graduate17%
Women and men · all residents
50% women, 50% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±3.4 points. Across Massachusetts, 51.1% of residents are women.
| Oakham | MA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 10.5% | 10.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 7.7% | 9.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 7% | 9.8% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 10.9% | 14% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 10.7% | 13% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.6% | 12.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 19.3% | 13.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 15.7% | 10.5% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 5.6% | 7.4% | 7% |
| No diploma | 5.7% | 8.6% | 10.4% |
| High school | 25.1% | 22.6% | 26% |
| Some college | 19.3% | 14.1% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 9.5% | 7.5% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 23.5% | 25.5% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 16.8% | 21.8% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,900, single groups can be off by several points
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Oakham
20pages on Oakham
The big questions
SchoolsCBehind 72% of MA districts · 1 schoolSafetyA−1 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthA−Better than MA on 7 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingB−$481K typical home · up 2.3% in a yearWork & commuteB+$102K median household income · 130 jobs hereNatural hazardsA−FEMA risk higher than 22% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
7 within 15 miles of the center of Oakham
Anna Maria CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Paxton6.6 mi$44,571 tuitionWorcester State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Worcester11.7 mi$11,786 in-state tuitionQuinsigamond Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Worcester13 mi$6,262 in-state tuition
About 4 of every 100 Oakham residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across Massachusetts.
A commuter town
96% of working residents leave Oakham for work
Where Oakham’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
130jobs based in Oakham
4%of working residents work in town
19 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Landmarks
3 places in Oakham on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Oakham
Town in Massachusetts, United States
Oakham is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 1,851 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1749
- Area
- 22 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,050 ft
- ZIP code
- 01068
Oakham’s neighbors
3 towns share a border with Oakham.
RutlandBarreSpencerOakham
How the neighbors grade
| Town | MA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oakham | — | — | B− | A− | C | A− |
| Rutland | #77 | A | C+ | A | B+ | A |
| Barre | #230 | C+ | C+ | B− | C | B− |
| Spencer | #212 | B− | C+ | A | C− | B |
Oakham has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Compare Oakham with a neighbor →
Questions about Oakham
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Oakham, MA expensive?
That is 5 years of the area's median household income ($95,939 across the Worcester, MA metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.
What is Oakham, MA known for?
2 notable people were born here, including Stephen N. Haskell and Sewell Foster.