Compare towns
Cornwall vs Peabody vs Strafford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cornwall has the most people working from home (24.4%).
Peabody has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.3%).
Strafford has the most kids (23% 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.
| Measure | Cornwall | Peabody | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,208Lowest |
54,695Highest |
1,372 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.4±4.6 30% above U.S. |
45.3±2.4Lowest 16% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7Highest 32% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.7%±6.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornwall and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Strafford and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $114,583±$32kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$96,657±$4kLowest 20% above U.S. |
$110,833±$19k 37% above U.S. |
| Cornwall and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $458,000±$49k 38% above U.S. |
$596,200±$12kHighest 79% above U.S. |
$431,300±$40kLowest 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$206Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,950±$99Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,125±$789Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,726 116% above U.S. |
$5,065Lowest 62% above U.S. |
$7,149Highest 129% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±65.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.3%±5.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Cornwall and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 0.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 11% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.4%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Cornwall and Strafford 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 | — | #228 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Peabody | Strafford School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3 |
— |
| 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.