Compare towns
Heath vs Wareham vs Warwick vs Petersham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Heath has the most people working from home (31.7%).
Wareham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
Warwick has the youngest population (median age 51.4).
Petersham has the highest household income ($111k).
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 | Heath | Wareham | Warwick | Petersham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 765Lowest |
23,302Highest |
776 |
1,185 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4% MA: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
0% MA: +7.4% |
-3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.8±11.9 35% above MA |
52.1±3.1 30% above MA |
51.4±7.3Lowest 29% above MA |
56.3±2.7Highest 41% above MA |
| Petersham and Heath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.1%±2.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
12.7%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 33.6%±8.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
23.2%±3.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
30.5%±4.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Heath and Petersham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
40.5% MA: 47.3% |
42.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2.8 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham and Petersham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $98,750±$23k 5% below MA |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
$93,333±$22k 10% below MA |
$110,750±$20kHighest 7% above MA |
| Petersham and Heath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $295,000±$45kLowest 48% below MA |
$424,500±$21kHighest 24% below MA |
$349,400±$34k 38% below MA |
$392,400±$20k 30% below MA |
| Wareham and Petersham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,504±$180 15% below MA |
$1,367±$163Lowest 22% below MA |
$1,679±$441Highest 5% below MA |
| Petersham and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,438 26% below MA |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
$4,380 27% below MA |
$4,636Highest 23% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100 MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
33.3%±57.3 MA: 51.8% |
20%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Wareham and Heath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.6% MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
5%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.3% MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89% MA: 62.5% |
94.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 20% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
40 minHighest 37% above MA |
39 min 32% above MA |
| Work from home | 31.7%±17.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.4%±6.9 MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Heath and Warwick 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 | — | #272 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | — | Wareham | Warwick | Petersham |
| High school in town | — | Wareham Senior High | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.6 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.