Compare towns
Hanson vs Petersham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hanson has the most kids (25% under 18).
Petersham has the most people working from home (16.2%).
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 | Hanson | Petersham |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 1,927Highest |
1,185Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
-3.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±4.3Lowest 10% above MA |
56.3±2.7Highest 41% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±5.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
12.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±4.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
30.5%±4.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
42.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.5%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $119,211±$24kHighest 15% above MA |
$110,750±$20kLowest 7% above MA |
| Hanson and Petersham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $513,000±$55kHighest 9% below MA |
$392,400±$20kLowest 30% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,679±$441 5% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,429Highest 7% above MA |
$4,636Lowest 23% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 20%±100 MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 100%Highest MA: 62.5% |
94.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minLowest 26% above MA |
39 minHighest 32% above MA |
| Work from home | 11.2%±5.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±5.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Petersham and Hanson 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 | #149 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Petersham |
| High school in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.