Compare towns
Petersham vs Ware vs Windsor
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).
Windsor has the most affordable homes ($208k 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 | Petersham | Ware | Windsor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,185Lowest |
10,048Highest |
3,554 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.3±2.7Highest 45% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
44.8±6.5 15% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 12.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Windsor and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.5%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±6.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Petersham and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.7%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware 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. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$52,484±$11kLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $392,400±$20kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$207,500±$31kLowest 38% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,679±$441Highest 19% above U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,026±$89Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,636 49% above U.S. |
$4,237Lowest 36% above U.S. |
$5,209Highest 67% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.5%±17 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Windsor 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% |
11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
57.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Highest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 39 minHighest 46% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.2%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | — | #267 of 282 in MA | #61 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Petersham | Ware | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → |
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.