What stands out worked out from the figures below

Peru has the most kids (8.5% under 18).

Hampton Beach has the most people working from home (26.9%).

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	Hampton Beach
People
Population	434Lowest	2,605Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+14.2% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	45.3±8.6Lowest 16% above U.S.	60.4±2.4Highest 55% above U.S.
Kids under 18	8.5%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22%	3.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Peru and Hampton Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.4%±5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	33.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	54.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.8%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4%	0.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Peru and Hampton Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$151,875±$83kHighest 88% above U.S.	$82,557±$17kLowest about the U.S. average
	Peru and Hampton Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$400,000±$105kLowest 20% above U.S.	$508,900±$76kHighest 53% above U.S.
	Hampton Beach and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,271±$820Lowest 10% below U.S.	$1,375±$130Highest about the U.S. average
	Hampton Beach and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,000Lowest 60% above U.S.	$6,115Highest 96% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	29%±47.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	61.7%±20.2Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Hampton Beach and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	1.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	62.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S.	1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 6% above U.S.	25 minLowest 4% below U.S.
Work from home	13.3%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	26.9%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Hampton Beach 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

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.