Compare towns
Needham vs Peterborough
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Peterborough has the most affordable homes ($405k 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 | Needham | Peterborough |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 32,459Highest |
6,408Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±1.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
52.1±1.9Highest 34% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$98,401±$8kLowest 22% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$404,500±$31kLowest 22% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,395±$209Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,655Lowest 177% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
29.2%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
56.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1970Highest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #19 of 282 in MA | #59 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Contoocook Valley School District |
| High school in town | — | Conval Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.0 |
| 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.