Population 882 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Petersham
Household size in Petersham
| Period | Petersham | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.66 | 2.59 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.42 | 2.62 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.36 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.42 | 2.56 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.24 | −0.03 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Petersham run small, averaging 2.42 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.66, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Petersham
| Period | Petersham | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 51.1 | 39.1 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 47.3 | 39.8 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 51.8 | 40.8 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 56.3 | 41.1 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +5.1 | +2.0 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 56.3, Petersham is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Petersham
| Period | Petersham | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.7% | 10.8% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.1% | 11.3% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.0% | 10.3% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.7% | 11.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.0 pts | +0.9 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 5.7% of households in Petersham, well below the national share of 11.6%.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Petersham
Renters in Petersham
| Period | Petersham | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.4% | 32.4% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.5% | 34.8% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 14.4% | 34.9% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 6.0% | 34.2% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | −3.4 pts | +1.9 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 6.0% of households in Petersham rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. More than four in ten owners (45.5%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Petersham
| Period | Petersham | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.5% | 9.2% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.4% | 9.1% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.3% | 8.5% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 10.7% | 6.8% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.8 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Petersham is close to the national rate: 10.7% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in the Worcester area as a whole (6.8%).
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Petersham
| Period | Petersham | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1942 | 1961 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1952 | 1962 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1946 | 1964 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1963 | 1965 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +21 | +4 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Petersham is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1963, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. That is in line with the rest of the Worcester area.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Petersham
| Period | Petersham | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $619 | $930 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $898 | $1,008 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $962 | $1,155 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,652 | $1,549 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,033 | +$619 | +$775 | +$606 |
The median renter in Petersham pays $1,652 a month for rent and utilities, above the national median of $1,571. Rent takes 23.9% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Petersham
Bachelor's degrees in Petersham
| Period | Petersham | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 50.3% | 33.1% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 40.3% | 34.5% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 36.3% | 36.5% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 42.4% | 39.8% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | −7.8 pts | +6.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are more common in Petersham than nationally: 42.4% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The picture is much the same across the Worcester area.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Petersham
| Period | Petersham | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 95.3% | 88.4% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 96.9% | 89.4% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.4% | 90.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.7% | 90.9% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.4 pts | +2.5 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Petersham: 97.7% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Petersham
| Period | Petersham | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.1% | 7.7% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.3% | 8.8% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.6% | 5.1% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.1% | 5.3% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.9 pts | −2.4 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Petersham runs below the national rate: 4.1% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Petersham compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Petersham | 2.42 | 56.3 | 5.7% | 6.0% | 10.7% | 1963 | $1,652 | 42.4% | 97.7% | 4.1% |
| South Athol | 2.47 | 53.5 | 6.1% | 7.3% | 11.8% | 1973 | $1,212 | 31.1% | 93.6% | 2.8% |
| Phillipston | 2.70 | 50.5 | 5.8% | 7.2% | 18.1% | 1979 | $1,445 | 29.3% | 93.7% | 8.6% |
| Williamsville | 2.55 | 52.4 | 6.3% | 9.3% | 6.1% | 1984 | $1,085 | 36.9% | 93.1% | 2.6% |
| Packard Heights | 2.36 | 46.7 | 9.6% | 20.2% | 10.7% | 1962 | $989 | 24.9% | 93.1% | 5.1% |
| Barre | 2.70 | 44.5 | 10.9% | 26.1% | 7.7% | 1975 | $1,150 | 32.2% | 91.7% | 2.1% |
| South Barre | 3.17 | 36.4 | 13.2% | 12.2% | 5.3% | 1983 | $969 | 28.5% | 92.0% | 4.9% |
| Athol | 2.57 | 40.9 | 13.2% | 27.5% | 9.4% | 1955 | $1,179 | 20.9% | 87.6% | 7.7% |
| New Salem | 2.43 | 54.8 | 9.4% | 10.7% | 13.3% | 1974 | $1,265 | 40.1% | 96.2% | 2.5% |
| Phillipston Four Corners | 2.78 | 48.8 | 5.9% | 7.6% | 20.2% | 1984 | $1,375 | 25.4% | 92.4% | 9.8% |
| Templeton | 2.43 | 43.8 | 14.9% | 11.1% | 15.2% | 1983 | $1,385 | 32.8% | 95.3% | 2.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Farina, IL · Tresckow, PA · Tracys Landing, MD · Toomsboro, GA · Tomahawk, KY · Tebbetts, MO · Garrison, IA · Flag Pond, TN · Five Points, TN · Five Forks, VA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Petersham. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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