Compare towns
Temple vs Needham vs Peterborough
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Temple has the most affordable homes ($401k median).
Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Peterborough has the most renters (43.7% rent).
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 | Temple | Needham | Peterborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,363Lowest |
32,459Highest |
6,408 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.5±7.3 27% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
52.1±1.9Highest 34% above U.S. |
| Peterborough and Temple are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 17.8%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.7%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,107±$15kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$98,401±$8k 22% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $401,000±$27kLowest 21% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$404,500±$31k 22% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,169±$523Lowest 17% below U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,395±$209 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,983Lowest 124% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,655 177% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.2%±54.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
29.2%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Needham and Temple are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
56.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 39% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.9%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #19 of 282 in MA | #59 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Contoocook Valley School District | Needham | Contoocook Valley School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Needham High | Conval Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9Lowest |
12.0Highest |
| 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.