What stands out worked out from the figures below

Peru has the most kids (16.3% under 18).

Middlefield has the most people working from home (13.2%).

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	Peru	Middlefield
People
Population	630Highest	352Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3.9%Highest MA: +7.4%	-26.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	52.6±4.8Lowest 32% above MA	56.9±3.7Highest 42% above MA
	Middlefield and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.3%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4%	4.5%±9.5Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Peru and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	29.7%±6.9Highest MA: 17.9%	28.7%±8.5Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Peru and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	28%Lowest MA: 47.3%	31.8%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.2%±2Highest MA: 7.9%	2.8%±4.8Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Peru and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$90,750±$18kLowest 13% below MA	$103,750±$23kHighest about the MA average
	Middlefield and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$267,400±$15kLowest 52% below MA	$332,800±$48kHighest 41% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$2,625±$1k 49% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,805Lowest 36% below MA	$4,926Highest 18% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8%	100%±100Highest MA: 51.8%
	Middlefield and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.2%Lowest MA: 10%	12.2%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	98.2%Highest MA: 62.5%	94.1%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1983Highest 19 yrs newer than MA	1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 7% above MA	30 minLowest about the MA average
Work from home	10.3%±4.8Lowest MA: 18.6%	13.2%±9.2Highest MA: 18.6%
	Middlefield and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

MA 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.