What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hanover has the most people working from home (26.4%).

Peabody has the oldest population (median age 45.3).

Hanover is a college town. 36.9% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.

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	Hanover	Peabody
People
Population	11,685Lowest	54,695Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	28.7±5.1Lowest 26% below U.S.	45.3±2.4Highest 16% above U.S.
Kids under 18	14.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22%	18.7%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	19.7%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	24.3%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	88.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	36.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.4%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$169,583±$36kHighest 110% above U.S.	$96,657±$4kLowest 20% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$824,900±$61kHighest 148% above U.S.	$596,200±$12kLowest 79% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,253±$217Highest 59% above U.S.	$1,950±$99Lowest 38% above U.S.
	Hanover and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.	$5,065Lowest 62% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	66.4%±17.5Highest U.S.: 51.1%	58.3%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Hanover and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	65.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S.	1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 26% below U.S.	26 minHighest about the U.S. average
Work from home	26.4%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1%	10.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#1 of 120 in NH	#228 of 282 in MA
School district	Dresden School District · Hanover School District	Peabody
High school in town	Hanover High School	Peabody Veterans Memorial High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.7Highest	10.3Lowest
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.