Compare towns
Deerfield vs Peru vs Merrimac
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Deerfield has the most people working from home (17.5%).
Peru has the most affordable homes ($267k median).
Merrimac has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
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 | Deerfield | Peru | Merrimac |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,158 |
630Lowest |
6,748Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7% MA: +7.4% |
-3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.8±3.6 30% above MA |
52.6±4.8Highest 32% above MA |
49.4±6.8Lowest 24% above MA |
| Peru and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.2%±3.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
16.3%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
16.5%±6.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Merrimac and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
29.7%±6.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
26.7%±5.8 MA: 17.9% |
| Peru and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
28%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
41% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.9%±3.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.2%±2 MA: 7.9% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Deerfield and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,136±$14k about the MA average |
$90,750±$18kLowest 13% below MA |
$123,054±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
| Merrimac and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $414,900±$37k 26% below MA |
$267,400±$15kLowest 52% below MA |
$553,400±$38kHighest about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,334±$318Lowest 24% below MA |
— | $1,352±$325Highest 23% below MA |
| Merrimac and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,824 about the MA average |
$3,805Lowest 36% below MA |
$7,399Highest 23% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.1%±15.1 MA: 51.8% |
0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.3%±29.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Merrimac and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
9.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
98.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
81.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1983Highest 19 yrs newer than MA |
1982 18 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 40% below MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
32 minHighest 10% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.5%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
8.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Deerfield and Peru 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 | #156 of 282 in MA | — | #188 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Deerfield · Frontier | — | Pentucket |
| High school in town | Frontier Regional | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.