Compare towns
Petersham vs Ware vs Woonsocket vs Worthington
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 ($290k median).
Woonsocket has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5%).
Worthington has the most people working from home (28.2%).
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 | Ware | Woonsocket | Worthington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,185 |
10,048 |
43,521Highest |
1,021Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.3±2.7 45% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
61.6±3.6Highest 58% above U.S. |
| Worthington and Petersham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±2.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 30.5%±4.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
39.5%±5.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Worthington and Petersham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Woonsocket and Ware 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. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$91,667±$17k 14% above U.S. |
| Petersham and Worthington 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. |
$289,700±$28kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$311,000±$15k 7% below U.S. |
$380,400±$26k 14% above U.S. |
| Petersham and Worthington 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. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
$633±$220Lowest 55% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,636 49% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$5,443Highest 75% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.5%±63 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Worthington 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Highest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1958 22 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 39 min 46% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
41 minHighest 55% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.2%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.2%±12.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Worthington 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 | Ware | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Worthington |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Woonsocket High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Lowest |
15.2Highest |
— |
| 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.