The Town FilesPepperell, Massachusetts
Town in Middlesex County · population 11,604 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $482,100
- Household income
- $124,073
- Jan low / Jul high
- 14° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 58 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 42.4
Pepperell is a town of 11,604 people in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. The median home is worth $482,100, below the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). It ranks more of a college town than 90% of Massachusetts towns, better for first-time buyers than 86% of Massachusetts towns.
How Pepperell ranks
Percentile among Massachusetts towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Massachusetts towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Pepperell is worth $482,100, below the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). Homes cost about 3.9 times the median household income of $124,073, which is more affordable than 78% of Massachusetts towns. Median rent is $1,295 a month. 84.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Pepperell | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $482,100 | $510,150 |
| Median rent | $1,295 | $1,561 |
| Median household income | $124,073 | $108,622 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.9× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 84.3% | 80.7% |
| Median year built | 1981 | 1968 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.9% | — |
Who lives in Pepperell
| People | Pepperell | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.4 | 44.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.2% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 20.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 43.8% | 45.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.0% | 6.3% |
| Veterans | 5.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 8.8% | — |
| Work from home | 18.1% | 17.7% |
| Average commute | 33.7 min | 30.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.3% | 93.9% |
Weather in Pepperell
July highs average 84.7°F and January lows 13.8°F. About 46.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 58.4 inches of snow (typical Massachusetts town: 49.5 in). Expect about 27 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 149 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pepperell since 1950, compared with 8 for the typical Massachusetts town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on October 3, 1970 about 8.1 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 5 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 21, 1972.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 26 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on June 30, 1961.
Severe weather in Middlesex County since 1996
Middlesex County has been included in 35 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, other, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 15, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3599: Hurricane Lee |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4496: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3438: Covid-19 |
| July 19, 2018 | Snowstorm | DR-4379: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| April 13, 2015 | Severe Storm | DR-4214: Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Middlesex County
Middlesex County had 926,104 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $113,704 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Pepperell itself the ACS puts it at 3.7%.
Public schools in Pepperell
2 public schools with 1,098 students, about 11.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Varnum Brook | K-4 | 612 | 13.6 |
| Nissitissit Middle School | 5-8 | 486 | 9.9 |
Towns near Pepperell
- Groton, MA4.5 mi · 11,315 people · home $743,400
- Dunstable, MA5.3 mi · 3,358 people · home $674,000
- Hollis, NH5.5 mi · 8,342 people · home $675,900
- Townsend, MA5.6 mi · 9,127 people · home $433,200
- Brookline, NH6.6 mi · 5,639 people · home $544,400
- Shirley, MA7.0 mi · 7,431 people · home $427,600
- Ayer, MA7.3 mi · 8,479 people · home $463,800
- Ayer, MA7.5 mi · 2,986 people · home $444,600
Pepperell questions
Is Pepperell, Massachusetts a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Pepperell scores better for retirees than 35% of Massachusetts towns and quieter than 42%. 18.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.4).
How much does a house cost in Pepperell?
The median owner-occupied home in Pepperell is valued at $482,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $124,073, so homes cost about 3.9 times income. Median rent is $1,295 a month.
What is the weather like in Pepperell?
July highs average 84.7°F and January lows 13.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 46.2 inches of precipitation a year and 58.4 inches of snow.
Does Pepperell get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pepperell since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on October 3, 1970. The typical Massachusetts town has had 8.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)