What stands out worked out from the figures below

Peabody has the most renters (34.4% 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	Peabody	Pelham
People
Population	54,695Highest	14,449Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	45.3±2.4Highest 16% above U.S.	41.5±2.7Lowest 7% above U.S.
	Peabody and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.7%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22%	22%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22%
	Pelham and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	24.3%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%	16.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	40%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.4%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.9%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Pelham and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$96,657±$4kLowest 20% above U.S.	$135,956±$19kHighest 68% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$596,200±$12kHighest 79% above U.S.	$552,600±$27kLowest 66% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,950±$99Highest 38% above U.S.	$1,425±$88Lowest about the U.S. average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,065Lowest 62% above U.S.	$8,634Highest 177% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	58.3%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Pelham and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	65.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S.	1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest about the U.S. average	30 minHighest 12% above U.S.
Work from home	10.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	22.8%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#228 of 282 in MA	#48 of 120 in NH
School district	Peabody	Pelham School District
High school in town	Peabody Veterans Memorial High	Pelham High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.3Lowest	10.4Highest
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.