Compare towns
Chesterfield vs Middlesex vs Peru
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chesterfield has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Peru has the highest household income ($152k).
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 | Chesterfield | Middlesex | Peru |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,622Highest |
1,943 |
434Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 46.8±8.7Highest 20% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9Lowest 14% above U.S. |
45.3±8.6 16% above U.S. |
| Chesterfield and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.5%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
8.5%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Chesterfield and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.8%±7.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chesterfield and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Middlesex and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $102,370±$40kLowest 27% above U.S. |
$109,632±$13k 36% above U.S. |
$151,875±$83kHighest 88% above U.S. |
| Peru and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $373,500±$33kLowest 12% above U.S. |
$376,300±$40k 13% above U.S. |
$400,000±$105kHighest 20% above U.S. |
| Peru and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,324±$1k 6% below U.S. |
$1,333±$359Highest 6% below U.S. |
$1,271±$820Lowest 10% below U.S. |
| Middlesex and Chesterfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,344 103% above U.S. |
$6,483Highest 108% above U.S. |
$5,000Lowest 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 83.7%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
29%±47.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Chesterfield and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Lowest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981Lowest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.9%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Chesterfield 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 | #52 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | Chesterfield School District | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 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.