Compare towns
Middleton vs Gorham vs Peabody
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).
Gorham has the most people working from home (19%).
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 | Gorham | Peabody |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,816Lowest |
18,300 |
54,695Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±2 11% above U.S. |
39.4±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.3±2.4Highest 16% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Gorham and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $167,402±$29kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$112,312±$6k 39% above U.S. |
$96,657±$4kLowest 20% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $742,700±$48kHighest 123% above U.S. |
$460,900±$26kLowest 39% above U.S. |
$596,200±$12k 79% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,407±$284Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,680±$355 19% above U.S. |
$1,950±$99Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Peabody and Gorham 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. |
$4,825Lowest 55% above U.S. |
$5,065 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.7%±25.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.9%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.3%±5.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.5%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Gorham and Middleton 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 | #24 of 133 in ME | #228 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Middleton | Gorham Public Schools | Peabody |
| High school in town | None in town | Gorham High School | Peabody Veterans Memorial High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9Highest |
10.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.