Compare towns
Wheelock vs Petersham vs Danville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wheelock has the most affordable homes ($190k median).
Petersham has the highest household income ($111k).
Danville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.3%).
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 | Wheelock | Petersham | Danville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 717Lowest |
1,185 |
2,360Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51±5.6Lowest 31% above U.S. |
56.3±2.7Highest 45% above U.S. |
53.1±6 37% above U.S. |
| Petersham and Danville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
12.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Danville and Wheelock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.4%±4.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.7%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Petersham and Wheelock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
42.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Petersham and Wheelock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,792±$20kLowest 20% below U.S. |
$110,750±$20kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$70,946±$7k 12% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $189,600±$37kLowest 43% below U.S. |
$392,400±$20kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$275,800±$43k 17% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,679±$441 19% above U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,937Lowest 6% below U.S. |
$4,636Highest 49% above U.S. |
$4,358 40% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
20%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
9.5%±11.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Petersham and Danville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
39 minHighest 46% above U.S. |
33 min 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.1%±16Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.7%±9.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wheelock and Danville 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.