Compare towns
Middleton vs Epping vs Peabody vs Hanson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middleton has the highest household income ($167k).
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
Peabody has the most renters (34.4% rent).
Hanson has the most kids (21.6% 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 | Middleton | Epping | Peabody | Hanson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,816 |
7,430Lowest |
54,695Highest |
10,660 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±2 11% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5 16% above U.S. |
45.3±2.4Highest 16% above U.S. |
42.8±3Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Peabody and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
21.6%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Hanson and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Peabody and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
37% U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Epping and Hanson 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 107% above U.S. |
$104,220±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$96,657±$4kLowest 20% above U.S. |
$132,200±$10k 64% above U.S. |
| Middleton and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $742,700±$48kHighest 123% above U.S. |
$436,900±$35kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$596,200±$12k 79% above U.S. |
$533,900±$36k 60% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,407±$284Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,742±$576 23% above U.S. |
$1,950±$99Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,821±$860 29% above U.S. |
| Peabody and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,785Highest 182% above U.S. |
$6,936 122% above U.S. |
$5,065Lowest 62% above U.S. |
$6,402 105% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.7%±25.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.3%±5.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
69%±33.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanson and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 14% above U.S. |
32 min 22% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.5%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±1.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #71 of 282 in MA | #77 of 120 in NH | #228 of 282 in MA | #149 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Middleton | Epping School District | Peabody | Whitman-Hanson |
| High school in town | None in town | Epping High School | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | Whitman Hanson Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.3Lowest |
10.3 |
14.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.