Compare towns
Peabody vs Sutton vs Middleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Peabody has the most renters (34.4% rent).
Sutton has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
Middleton has the highest household income ($167k).
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 | Peabody | Sutton | Middleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 54,695Highest |
2,239Lowest |
9,816 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±2.4 16% above U.S. |
48.1±4.1Highest 24% above U.S. |
43.1±2Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Sutton 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% |
21.6%±5.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Peabody and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sutton 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. |
$130,313±$31k 61% above U.S. |
$167,402±$29kHighest 107% above U.S. |
| Middleton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $596,200±$12k 79% above U.S. |
$362,600±$16kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$742,700±$48kHighest 123% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,950±$99Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,656±$614 17% above U.S. |
$1,407±$284Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Peabody and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,065Lowest 62% above U.S. |
$7,652 145% above U.S. |
$8,785Highest 182% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±5.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±47.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Peabody and Sutton 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% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.5%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sutton and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #228 of 282 in MA | — | #71 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Peabody | Kearsarge Regional School District | Middleton |
| High school in town | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | Kearsarge Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
10.4Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.