The Town FilesPetersham, Massachusetts
Town in Worcester County · population 1,194 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $392,400
- Household income
- $110,750
- Jan low / Jul high
- 14° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 53 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 56.3
Petersham is a town of 1,194 people in Worcester County, Massachusetts. The median home is worth $392,400, below the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). It ranks quieter than 87% of Massachusetts towns, better for a vacation home than 85% of Massachusetts towns, better for retirees than 81% of Massachusetts towns.
How Petersham ranks
Percentile among Massachusetts towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Massachusetts towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Petersham is worth $392,400, below the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). Homes cost about 3.5 times the median household income of $110,750, which is more affordable than 91% of Massachusetts towns. Median rent is $1,679 a month. 94.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Petersham | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $392,400 | $510,150 |
| Median rent | $1,679 | $1,561 |
| Median household income | $110,750 | $108,622 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.5× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 94.2% | 80.7% |
| Median year built | 1962 | 1968 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 7.2% | — |
Who lives in Petersham
| People | Petersham | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 56.3 | 44.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 30.5% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 12.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 42.6% | 45.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.8% | 6.3% |
| Veterans | 4.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.9% | — |
| Work from home | 16.2% | 17.7% |
| Average commute | 38.5 min | 30.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.5% | 93.9% |
Weather in Petersham
July highs average 83.7°F and January lows 14.0°F. About 42.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 53.2 inches of snow (typical Massachusetts town: 49.5 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 161 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Petersham since 1950, compared with 8 for the typical Massachusetts town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on June 9, 1953 about 2.5 miles from the town center and killed 90. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 90 deaths and 1,232 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on October 23, 2018.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 15 times; the largest was 2.25 inches on May 22, 2013.
Severe weather in Worcester County since 1996
Worcester County has been included in 32 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 15, 2024 | Flood | DR-4780: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| September 15, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3599: Hurricane Lee |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4496: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3438: Covid-19 |
| July 19, 2018 | Snowstorm | DR-4379: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Worcester County
Worcester County had 351,476 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $71,641 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Petersham itself the ACS puts it at 4.3%.
Public schools in Petersham
1 public school with 133 students, about 12.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petersham Center | K-6 | 133 | 12.1 |
Towns near Petersham
- New Salem, MA5.7 mi · 983 people · home $359,000
- Barre, MA6.0 mi · 5,530 people · home $394,300
- Barre, MA6.1 mi · 1,029 people · home $348,000
- Hardwick, MA7.3 mi · 2,667 people · home $346,700
- Phillipston, MA7.5 mi · 1,726 people · home $372,400
- Athol, MA8.1 mi · 11,945 people · home $268,100
- Athol, MA9.3 mi · 8,486 people · home $248,700
- New Braintree, MA10.1 mi · 996 people · home $408,800
Petersham questions
Is Petersham, Massachusetts a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Petersham scores better for retirees than 81% of Massachusetts towns and quieter than 87%. 30.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 56.3).
How much does a house cost in Petersham?
The median owner-occupied home in Petersham is valued at $392,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $110,750, so homes cost about 3.5 times income. Median rent is $1,679 a month.
What is the weather like in Petersham?
July highs average 83.7°F and January lows 14.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 42.2 inches of precipitation a year and 53.2 inches of snow.
Does Petersham get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Petersham since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on June 9, 1953. The typical Massachusetts town has had 8.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)