What stands out worked out from the figures below

Peterborough has the most renters (43.7% rent).

Sutton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.4%).

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	Sutton
People
Population	6,408Lowest	9,452Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+4.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	52.1±1.9Highest 34% above U.S.	44.3±2.5Lowest 14% above U.S.
Kids under 18	16.3%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 22%	19.6%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22%
	Sutton 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%	18.8%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	62.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	52.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	3.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Sutton 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.	$147,125±$25kHighest 82% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$404,500±$31kLowest 22% above U.S.	$523,100±$47kHighest 57% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,395±$209Highest about the U.S. average	$1,190±$401Lowest 16% below U.S.
	Peterborough and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,655Highest 177% above U.S.	$6,763Lowest 117% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	29.2%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	47.5%±24.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Sutton and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	5.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	56.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S.	1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minLowest 15% below U.S.	30 minHighest 12% above U.S.
Work from home	15.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	22.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Sutton 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	#105 of 282 in MA
School district	Contoocook Valley School District	Sutton
High school in town	Conval Regional High School	Sutton High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.0Lowest	12.6Highest
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.