What stands out worked out from the figures below

Milford has the most renters (34.8% rent).

Pelham has the most people working from home (22.8%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Milford	Pelham
People
Population	30,431Highest	14,449Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	38.9±1.8Lowest about the U.S. average	41.5±2.7Highest 7% above U.S.
	Pelham and Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.7%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22%	22%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22%
	Pelham and Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.8%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2%	16.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Milford and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	40%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.9%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Pelham and Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$96,365±$4kLowest 19% above U.S.	$135,956±$19kHighest 68% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$476,700±$12kLowest 43% above U.S.	$552,600±$27kHighest 66% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,909±$137Highest 35% above U.S.	$1,425±$88Lowest about the U.S. average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,869Lowest 88% above U.S.	$8,634Highest 177% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	56.8%±8.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Pelham and Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	65.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S.	1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	37 minHighest 40% above U.S.	30 minLowest 12% above U.S.
Work from home	14.5%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	22.8%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#213 of 282 in MA	#48 of 120 in NH
School district	Milford	Pelham School District
High school in town	Milford High	Pelham High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.9Highest	10.4Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.