Compare towns
Peterborough vs Dedham 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
Peterborough has the most affordable homes ($405k median).
Dedham has the most people working from home (20%).
Middleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
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 | Peterborough | Dedham | Middleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,408Lowest |
25,237Highest |
9,816 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±1.9Highest 34% above U.S. |
44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
43.1±2Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±3 U.S.: 22% |
| Dedham and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
55% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dedham and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $98,401±$8kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$128,955±$10k 60% above U.S. |
$167,402±$29kHighest 107% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $404,500±$31kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$661,800±$16k 99% above U.S. |
$742,700±$48kHighest 123% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,395±$209Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,042±$182Highest 45% above U.S. |
$1,407±$284 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,655 177% above U.S. |
$7,918Lowest 154% above U.S. |
$8,785Highest 182% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.2%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 5.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.8%±4.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±2.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.5%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dedham and Peterborough 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 | #59 of 120 in NH | #119 of 282 in MA | #71 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Contoocook Valley School District | Dedham | Middleton |
| High school in town | Conval Regional High School | Dedham High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.0Highest |
10.4Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.