Compare towns
Middlefield vs Wareham vs Peru vs Leyden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlefield has the oldest population (median age 56.9).
Wareham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
Peru has the most affordable homes ($267k median).
Leyden has the highest household income ($106k).
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 | Middlefield | Wareham | Peru | Leyden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 352Lowest |
23,302Highest |
630 |
637 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -26.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-3.9% MA: +7.4% |
+3.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.9±3.7Highest 42% above MA |
52.1±3.1Lowest 30% above MA |
52.6±4.8 32% above MA |
53.2±8.2 33% above MA |
| Middlefield and Leyden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 4.5%±9.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
16.3%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.8%±3.6 MA: 19.4% |
| Peru and Leyden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 28.7%±8.5 MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
29.7%±6.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
28.6%±2.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Peru and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.8% MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
28% MA: 47.3% |
40%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±4.8 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.2%±2 MA: 7.9% |
0.5%±2.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $103,750±$23k about the MA average |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
$90,750±$18k 13% below MA |
$105,893±$13kHighest about the MA average |
| Leyden and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $332,800±$48k 41% below MA |
$424,500±$21kHighest 24% below MA |
$267,400±$15kLowest 52% below MA |
$372,900±$24k 34% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,625±$1kHighest 49% above MA |
$1,504±$180Lowest 15% below MA |
— | $1,917±$451 9% above MA |
| Middlefield and Leyden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,926Highest 18% below MA |
$4,341 28% below MA |
$3,805Lowest 36% below MA |
$4,651 22% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
42.9%±100 MA: 51.8% |
| Middlefield and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.2%Highest MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
10.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1% MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
98.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
93.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1983Highest 19 yrs newer than MA |
1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
33 minHighest 12% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.2%±9.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±4.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
11%±5 MA: 18.6% |
| Middlefield and Wareham 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 | — | #272 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | — | Wareham | — | — |
| High school in town | — | Wareham Senior High | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.6 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.