What stands out worked out from the figures below

Peterborough has the most affordable homes ($405k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Peterborough	Middleton
People
Population	6,408Lowest	9,816Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+8.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	52.1±1.9Highest 34% above U.S.	43.1±2Lowest 11% above U.S.
Kids under 18	16.3%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 22%	17.2%±3Highest U.S.: 22%
	Middleton and Peterborough 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%	18.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	62.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	41.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	3.9%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Middleton and Peterborough 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.	$167,402±$29kHighest 107% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$404,500±$31kLowest 22% above U.S.	$742,700±$48kHighest 123% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,395±$209Lowest about the U.S. average	$1,407±$284Highest about the U.S. average
	Middleton and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,655Lowest 177% above U.S.	$8,785Highest 182% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	29.2%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%	25.7%±25.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Peterborough and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	56.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	92.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S.	1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minLowest 15% below U.S.	30 minHighest 14% above U.S.
Work from home	15.8%±4.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%	12.5%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Peterborough and Middleton 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	#71 of 282 in MA
School district	Contoocook Valley School District	Middleton
High school in town	Conval Regional High School	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	12.0	—
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.