Compare towns
Middleton vs Ogunquit vs Wakefield 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).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Wakefield has the most kids (20% under 18).
Peabody has the most affordable homes ($596k median).
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 | Ogunquit | Wakefield | Peabody |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,816 |
1,379Lowest |
27,793 |
54,695Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±2 11% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
45.3±2.4 16% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±3 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Wakefield 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $167,402±$29kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14k 66% above U.S. |
$96,657±$4kLowest 20% above U.S. |
| Middleton and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $742,700±$48k 123% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24k 117% above U.S. |
$596,200±$12kLowest 79% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,407±$284Lowest about the U.S. average |
— | $1,958±$102Highest 39% above U.S. |
$1,950±$99 38% above U.S. |
| Wakefield and Peabody 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. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$7,779 149% above U.S. |
$5,065 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.7%±25.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.3%±5.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 14% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.5%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #71 of 282 in MA | — | #179 of 282 in MA | #228 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Middleton | — | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Peabody |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Peabody Veterans Memorial High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.7Highest |
10.3Lowest |
| 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.