Compare towns
Ware vs Woonsocket vs Whitman 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
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Whitman has the most expensive homes ($473k median).
Petersham has the most people working from home (16.2%).
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 | Woonsocket | Whitman | Petersham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048 |
43,521Highest |
15,295 |
1,185Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
40.4±1.8 4% above U.S. |
56.3±2.7Highest 45% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
12.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
42.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$108,933±$14k 35% above U.S. |
$110,750±$20kHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Petersham and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$311,000±$15k 7% below U.S. |
$472,700±$12kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$392,400±$20k 18% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
$1,771±$151Highest 25% above U.S. |
$1,679±$441 19% above U.S. |
| Whitman and Petersham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237 36% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$5,824Highest 87% above U.S. |
$4,636 49% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.9%±13.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
20%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1957 23 yrs older than U.S. |
1962Highest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
36 min 37% above U.S. |
39 minHighest 46% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±5.8Highest 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #37 of 38 in RI | #191 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Ware | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Whitman-Hanson | Petersham |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Woonsocket High School | None in town | 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.