What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bartlett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.8%).

Pepperell has the most kids (20.1% under 18).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bartlett	Pepperell
People
Population	3,281Lowest	11,663Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+14.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+0.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	57.4±4.7Highest 48% above U.S.	42.4±3.3Lowest 9% above U.S.
Kids under 18	7.5%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22%	20.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	36.1%±9.6Highest U.S.: 17.2%	18.2%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	43.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	0.1%±0.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.7%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$59,754±$9kLowest 26% below U.S.	$124,073±$12kHighest 54% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$371,400±$78kLowest 12% above U.S.	$482,100±$14kHighest 45% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,676±$97Highest 19% above U.S.	$1,295±$238Lowest 8% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,512Lowest 19% below U.S.	$6,698Highest 115% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	68.5%±37.9Highest U.S.: 51.1%	45.1%±16.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Bartlett and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	84.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S.	1981Lowest 1 yr newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minLowest 16% above U.S.	34 minHighest 28% above U.S.
Work from home	13.5%±7.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	18.1%±2.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Pepperell and Bartlett 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	#74 of 120 in NH	#153 of 282 in MA
School district	Bartlett School District	North Middlesex
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.