Compare towns
Peru vs Needham vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Peru has the most renters (21% rent).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Windham has the most affordable homes ($354k median).
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 | Peru | Needham | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 434Lowest |
32,459Highest |
594 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 45.3±8.6Highest 16% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
| Peru and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 8.5%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Needham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windham and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Needham and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $151,875±$83k 88% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$94,500±$12kLowest 17% above U.S. |
| Needham and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $400,000±$105k 20% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$353,900±$20kLowest 6% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,271±$820Lowest 10% below U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,000Lowest 60% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,951 91% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29%±47.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Needham and Windham 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% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 13.3%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #19 of 282 in MA | — |
| 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.