Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Ware 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
Woonsocket has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5%).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($253k median).
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 | Woonsocket | Ware | Petersham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 43,521Highest |
6,369 |
1,185Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
39.8±6 about the U.S. average |
56.3±2.7Highest 45% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.4%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
15.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Woonsocket and Petersham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $61,059±$5k 24% below U.S. |
$45,158±$11kLowest 44% below U.S. |
$110,750±$20kHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,000±$15k 7% below U.S. |
$253,400±$31kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$392,400±$20kHighest 18% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
$1,039±$104Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,679±$441Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,960 27% above U.S. |
$3,408Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$4,636Highest 49% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.5%±17.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
20%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
57.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1962Highest 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 | 6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.6%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ware 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 | #37 of 38 in RI | #267 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | — | Petersham |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2 |
— | — |
| 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.