Compare towns
Dover vs Petersham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
Petersham has the most affordable homes ($392k 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 | Dover | Petersham |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 5,930Highest |
1,185Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.9±2.3Lowest 12% above MA |
56.3±2.7Highest 41% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 26%±5.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
12.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 16.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
30.5%±4.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 84.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
42.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±2.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Dover and Petersham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $250,001Highest 140% above MA |
$110,750±$20kLowest 7% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,340,300±$117kHighest 138% above MA |
$392,400±$20kLowest 30% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,917±$2kHighest 66% above MA |
$1,679±$441Lowest 5% below MA |
| Dover and Petersham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,636Lowest 23% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20%±100 MA: 51.8% |
20%±100 MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
94.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Highest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minLowest 19% above MA |
39 minHighest 32% above MA |
| Work from home | 34.2%±6.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±5.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #1 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Dover · Dover-Sherborn | Petersham |
| High school in town | Dover-Sherborn Regional High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.