Compare towns
Petersham vs Ware vs Worthington
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).
Ware has the most kids (19.1% under 18).
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 | Worthington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,185 |
10,048Highest |
1,021Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
+3.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.3±2.7 41% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
61.6±3.6Highest 54% above MA |
| 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 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
12.8%±2.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Ware and Worthington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.5%±4.7 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
39.5%±5.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| 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% MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
46.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.1%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| 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 7% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$91,667±$17k 12% below MA |
| 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 30% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$380,400±$26k 32% below MA |
| 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 5% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$633±$220Lowest 64% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,636 23% below MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$5,443Highest 9% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
62.5%±63 MA: 51.8% |
| 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% MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
4.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
93.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 39 min 32% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
41 minHighest 41% above MA |
| Work from home | 16.2%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
28.2%±12.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | — |
| School district | Petersham | Ware | Worthington |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.