Compare towns
Petersham vs Woonsocket vs Ware vs Athol
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).
Woonsocket has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5%).
Athol has the most affordable homes ($268k 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 | Woonsocket | Ware | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,185Lowest |
43,521Highest |
10,048 |
12,011 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.3±2.7Highest 45% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
41.3±1.9 6% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 12.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Athol 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% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest 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. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$69,316±$5k 14% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $392,400±$20kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$311,000±$15k 7% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$268,100±$13kLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,679±$441Highest 19% above U.S. |
$1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,636Highest 49% above U.S. |
$3,960 27% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Highest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1953 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 39 minHighest 46% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 16.2%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±3.3 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 | — | #37 of 38 in RI | #267 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Petersham | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Ware | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | None in town | Woonsocket High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Athol High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 15.2Highest |
11.1Lowest |
11.6 |
| 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.