Compare towns
Middleton vs Sutton vs Needham 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 most homeowners (92.7%).
Sutton has the most affordable homes ($523k median).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k 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 | Sutton | Needham | Peabody |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,816 |
9,452Lowest |
32,459 |
54,695Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±2Lowest 8% above MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
45.3±2.4Highest 13% above MA |
| Peabody and Sutton 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% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.7%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
24.3%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.7% MA: 47.3% |
52.8% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Needham and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $167,402±$29k 61% above MA |
$147,125±$25k 42% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$96,657±$4kLowest 7% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $742,700±$48k 32% above MA |
$523,100±$47kLowest 7% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$596,200±$12k 6% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,407±$284 20% below MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,950±$99 11% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,785 47% above MA |
$6,763 13% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$5,065Lowest 15% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.7%±25.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
58.3%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Peabody and Needham 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% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
7.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
89.7% MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
65.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 3% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
28 min 5% below MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 12.5%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #71 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #228 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Middleton | Sutton | — | Peabody |
| High school in town | None in town | Sutton High School | — | Peabody Veterans Memorial High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6Highest |
— | 10.3Lowest |
| 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.