Compare towns
Ware vs West Brookfield vs Petersham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ware has the most kids (19.1% under 18).
West Brookfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.6%).
Petersham has the most homeowners (94.2%).
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 | Ware | West Brookfield | Petersham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,048Highest |
3,859 |
1,185Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% MA: +7.4% |
+3.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
58.5±3.2Highest 46% above MA |
56.3±2.7 41% above MA |
| West Brookfield and Petersham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
13%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
12.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Ware and West Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
35.9%±6.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
30.5%±4.7 MA: 17.9% |
| West Brookfield and Petersham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
34% MA: 47.3% |
42.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
1.2%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.7 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 | $67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$95,613±$12k 8% below MA |
$110,750±$20kHighest 7% above MA |
| Petersham and West Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$354,000±$21k 37% below MA |
$392,400±$20kHighest 30% below MA |
| Petersham and West Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,236±$271 30% below MA |
$1,679±$441Highest 5% below MA |
| Petersham and West Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$4,260 29% below MA |
$4,636Highest 23% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
30.3%±18.8 MA: 51.8% |
20%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and West Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
8.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
80.8% MA: 62.5% |
94.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest about the MA average |
42 minHighest 44% above MA |
39 min 32% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
18.9%±15Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
| West Brookfield 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 | #162 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Ware | Quaboag Regional | Petersham |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.