Town · Massachusetts
Pepperell, Massachusetts
Pepperell, town, in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. Pepperell had 11,762 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 1.4% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 11,604 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 11,663 (±31). GEOID 2501752805.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
11,762
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 11,604 · ACS 2020-2024: 11,663 ±31
Median household income
$124,073
±$11,540 (90% margin)
Massachusetts: $103,960
Median home value
$482,100
±$13,960 (90% margin)
Massachusetts: $562,100
Median gross rent
$1,295
±$238 (90% margin)
Massachusetts: $1,762
Where is Pepperell and what county is it in?
Pepperell is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. It covers 22.6 square miles of land, 514 residents per square mile in 2020.
2 places lie inside Pepperell: Pepperell (CDP, 2,390 in 2020) and East Pepperell (CDP, 2,120 in 2020).
Pepperell is in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 7 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Pepperell, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 11,762 people lived in Pepperell on July 1, 2025, up 1.4% since 2020, in line with Massachusetts (+1.7%). The 2020 Census counted 11,604 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 11,663 (±31).
| Measure | Pepperell | Middlesex County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 11,663±31 | 1,638,365 | −442 |
| Households | 4,334±280 | 634,215 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.68±0.17 | 2.49 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 4,472±267 | 664,267 | no clear change |
Pepperell's population since 2000
From 11,142 in 2000 to 11,762 in 2025: up 5.6%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Pepperell as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Pepperell?
The median resident of Pepperell is 42.4 years old; 20.1% are under 18 and 18.2% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 83.6%, then non-Hispanic Asian residents at 5.8%. 8.8% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Pepperell | Middlesex County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.4±3.3 | 38.9 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 20.1%±3.2 pts | 19.5% | – |
| 65 years and over | 18.2%±1.9 pts | 16.3% | – |
| Male | 49.5%±2.9 pts | 49.4% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 4.0%±1.5 pts | 9.3% | +2.0 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 83.6%±4.9 pts | 65.1% | −9.4 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 3.7%±2.8 pts | 4.7% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 5.8%±4.1 pts | 13.6% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.4 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.4 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.7%±1.1 pts | 5.8% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.2%±0.2 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 8.8%±4.1 pts | 23.1% | +4.6 pts |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 10.5%±4.6 pts | 29.1% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 5.7%±1.8 pts | 3.3% | – |
| With a disability | 13.3%±3.9 pts | 9.9% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 2.4%±1.1 pts | 2.4% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 96.9%±1.1 pts | 93.2% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 43.8%±3.8 pts | 59.5% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 20.7%±3.3 pts | 30.5% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 93.6%±2.2 pts | 87.2% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.0%±0.6 pts | 2.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Pepperell earn?
Half of Pepperell's 4,334 households earn less than $124,073 a year (±$11,540), against $130,847 in Middlesex County and $103,960 in Massachusetts. In 2015-2019 it was $128,152 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 8.0% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Pepperell | Middlesex County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $124,073±$11,540 | $130,847 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $146,960±$13,028 | $178,070 | – |
| Per capita income | $54,774±$5,058 | $69,556 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 8.0%±3.2 pts | 7.7% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 9.8%±7.0 pts | 7.9% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 6.9%±2.8 pts | 9.3% | – |
| Households with a computer | 98.4%±1.0 pts | 97.0% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 93.3%±3.1 pts | 94.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Pepperell?
Owners occupy 84.3% of Pepperell's occupied homes and renters 15.7%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $482,100 by its owner (±$13,960). The median renter pays $1,295 a month including utilities, and 41.2% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Pepperell | Middlesex County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $482,100±$13,960 | $727,800 | +$59,480 |
| Median gross rent | $1,295±$238 | $2,201 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 41.2%±13.8 pts | 37.6% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,842±$139 | $3,224 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 84.3%±4.1 pts | 61.3% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 15.7%±4.1 pts | 38.7% | – |
| Housing units | 4,472±267 | 664,267 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.9%±1.4 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 4.2%±6.2 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 77.7%±4.1 pts | 46.5% | – |
| Mobile homes | 2.6%±1.1 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.3%±0.4 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 6.0%±2.4 pts | 7.3% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 15.1%±3.2 pts | 32.3% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 2.3%±1.2 pts | 10.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Pepperell building?
Builders took permits for 4 new housing units in Pepperell in 2025 (4 in single-family houses), 0.3 per 1,000 residents against 1.7 across Massachusetts.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Pepperell work and get to work?
74.4% of Pepperell's workers drive alone and 18.1% work from home. The average trip to work takes 33.7 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 3.7%.
| Measure | Pepperell | Middlesex County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 68.2%±4.1 pts | 69.9% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7%±1.4 pts | 4.4% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 74.4%±3.7 pts | 54.2% | – |
| Carpooled | 5.3%±1.8 pts | 6.3% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.1%±0.1 pts | 7.2% | – |
| Walked | 0.9%±0.8 pts | 4.2% | – |
| Worked from home | 18.1%±2.8 pts | 24.7% | +11.8 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 33.7 min±1.7 | 29.9 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Pepperell?
3 census tracts lie mostly in Pepperell (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $101,557 (Tract 3271.03) to $152,344 (Tract 3271.01).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 3271.01Middlesex County | 4,050 | $152,344 |
| Tract 3271.02Middlesex County | 3,881 | $117,688 |
| Tract 3271.03Middlesex County | 3,732 | $101,557 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Pepperell) · Census block assignment files
How does Pepperell compare with other places in Massachusetts?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Pepperell is the 1,055th-most populous of the 16,079 U.S. towns and townships that have one and the 88th-most populous of 266 in Massachusetts.
Pepperell ranks 162nd of 453 places in Massachusetts with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 88th | 266 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 155th | 292 |
| Residents per square mile | 313th | 461 |
| Median household income | 162nd | 453 |
| Per capita income | 245th | 460 |
| Median home value | 260th | 459 |
| Median gross rent | 285th | 410 |
| Poverty rate | 124th | 338 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 259th | 459 |
| Median age | 312th | 461 |
| Owner-occupied share | 161st | 460 |
| Work from home | 219th | 429 |
| Travel time to work | 102nd | 459 |
Pepperell's figures with every place in Massachusetts (CSV)
Every place in Massachusetts, sortable · Compare Pepperell with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Pepperell?
11 of the 57 figures for Pepperell on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Pepperell are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.