Compare towns
Petersham vs Springfield vs Ware
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Petersham has the highest household income ($111k).
Springfield has the most renters (50.4% rent).
Ware has grown the fastest since 2010 (+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 | Petersham | Springfield | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,185Lowest |
154,749Highest |
10,048 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+1.9% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.3±2.7Highest 41% above MA |
33.7±0.5Lowest 16% below MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 12.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
24.2%±0.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 30.5%±4.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
13.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
20.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.5%±0.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $110,750±$20kHighest 7% above MA |
$52,656±$2kLowest 49% below MA |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $392,400±$20kHighest 30% below MA |
$245,000±$4kLowest 56% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,679±$441Highest 5% below MA |
$1,144±$55 35% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,636Highest 23% below MA |
$3,695Lowest 38% below MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±3.1 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
25.8%Highest MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
49.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA |
1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 39 minHighest 32% above MA |
20 minLowest 31% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 16.2%±5.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Petersham and Ware 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 | — | #276 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Petersham | Springfield | Ware |
| High school in town | None in town | Springfield Central High | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.2Highest |
11.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.