Compare towns
Petersham vs Ware vs Woonsocket vs Phillipston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Petersham has the highest household income ($111k).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($253k median).
Woonsocket has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5%).
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 | Ware | Woonsocket | Phillipston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,185Lowest |
6,369 |
43,521Highest |
1,895 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.3±2.7Highest 45% above U.S. |
39.8±6 about the U.S. average |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
48.8±1.7 25% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 12.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±5 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 30.5%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.4%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.9%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
25.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Woonsocket and Petersham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $110,750±$20kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$45,158±$11kLowest 44% below U.S. |
$61,059±$5k 24% below U.S. |
$94,692±$14k 17% above U.S. |
| Petersham and Phillipston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $392,400±$20kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$253,400±$31kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$311,000±$15k 7% below U.S. |
$372,400±$27k 12% above U.S. |
| Petersham and Phillipston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,679±$441Highest 19% above U.S. |
$1,039±$104Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
$1,375±$849 about the U.S. average |
| Petersham and Phillipston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,636Highest 49% above U.S. |
$3,408Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$3,960 27% above U.S. |
$3,914 25% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.5%±17.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Phillipston and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
57.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 39 minHighest 46% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.2%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.6%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ware and Petersham 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 | — | #267 of 282 in MA | #37 of 38 in RI | — |
| School district | Petersham | — | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Woonsocket High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 15.2 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.