Compare towns
Middleton vs Athol vs Peabody
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middleton has the highest household income ($167k).
Athol has the most affordable homes ($268k median).
Peabody has the most renters (34.4% rent).
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 | Middleton | Athol | Peabody |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,816Lowest |
12,011 |
54,695Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±2 8% above MA |
41.3±1.9Lowest 3% above MA |
45.3±2.4Highest 13% above MA |
| Peabody and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.7%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Athol and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
24.3%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
20.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
35% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Peabody and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $167,402±$29kHighest 61% above MA |
$69,316±$5kLowest 33% below MA |
$96,657±$4k 7% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $742,700±$48kHighest 32% above MA |
$268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
$596,200±$12k 6% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,407±$284 20% below MA |
$1,150±$182Lowest 35% below MA |
$1,950±$99Highest 11% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,785Highest 47% above MA |
$3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
$5,065 15% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.7%±25.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
58.3%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Peabody and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.3%Highest MA: 10% |
7.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.4% MA: 62.5% |
65.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 3% above MA |
27 min 8% below MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 12.5%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Middleton and Athol 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 | #71 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA | #228 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Middleton | Athol-Royalston | Peabody |
| High school in town | None in town | Athol High | Peabody Veterans Memorial High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.6Highest |
10.3Lowest |
| 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.