Compare towns
Phillipston vs Windham vs Petersham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has the most people working from home (20.5%).
Petersham has the highest household income ($111k).
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 | Phillipston | Windham | Petersham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,895Highest |
594Lowest |
1,185 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.8±1.7 25% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4Lowest 14% above U.S. |
56.3±2.7Highest 45% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17%±5 U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Phillipston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Petersham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,692±$14k 17% above U.S. |
$94,500±$12kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$110,750±$20kHighest 37% 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 | $372,400±$27k 12% above U.S. |
$353,900±$20kLowest 6% above U.S. |
$392,400±$20kHighest 18% 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 | $1,375±$849Lowest about the U.S. average |
— | $1,679±$441Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Petersham and Phillipston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,914Lowest 25% above U.S. |
$5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$4,636 49% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
20%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Phillipston and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
39 minHighest 46% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.2%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham and Petersham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | — | Petersham |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.