Compare towns
Middleton vs Upton vs Peabody vs Hanson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Peabody has the most renters (34.4% rent).
Hanson has the most affordable homes ($534k 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 | Upton | Peabody | Hanson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,816 |
8,189Lowest |
54,695Highest |
10,660 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
+4.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±2 8% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
45.3±2.4 13% above MA |
42.8±3Lowest 7% above MA |
| Upton and Peabody 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.7%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±3.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Hanson 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% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
24.3%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.7%±3 MA: 17.9% |
| Peabody and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.7% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
42.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Hanson 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±$29kHighest 61% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$96,657±$4kLowest 7% below MA |
$132,200±$10k 27% above MA |
| Middleton and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $742,700±$48kHighest 32% above MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$596,200±$12k 6% above MA |
$533,900±$36kLowest 5% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,407±$284 20% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,950±$99Highest 11% above MA |
$1,821±$860 3% above MA |
| 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 47% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$5,065Lowest 15% below MA |
$6,402 7% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.7%±25.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
58.3%±5.9 MA: 51.8% |
69%±33.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Hanson and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.4% MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
7.7%Highest MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
65.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1966Lowest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 3% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
34 min 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.5%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±1.6 MA: 18.6% |
7.9%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #71 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #228 of 282 in MA | #149 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Middleton | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Peabody | Whitman-Hanson |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | Whitman Hanson Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
10.3Lowest |
14.7Highest |
| 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.