What stands out worked out from the figures below

Peabody has the most renters (34.4% rent).

Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).

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	Windham
People
Population	54,695Highest	16,038Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	45.3±2.4Highest 16% above U.S.	41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S.
	Peabody and Windham 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%	27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	24.3%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%	15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.4%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Peabody and Windham 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.	$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$596,200±$12kLowest 79% above U.S.	$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,950±$99Lowest 38% above U.S.	$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,065Lowest 62% above U.S.	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	58.3%±5.9Highest U.S.: 51.1%	52.2%±50.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Peabody and Windham 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%	2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	65.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S.	1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest about the U.S. average	31 minHighest 17% above U.S.
Work from home	10.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	21.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#228 of 282 in MA	#13 of 120 in NH
School district	Peabody	Windham School District
High school in town	Peabody Veterans Memorial High	Windham High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.3Lowest	12.8Highest
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.