Compare towns
Attleboro vs Needham vs Peabody
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Attleboro has the most affordable homes ($448k median).
Needham has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Peabody has the shortest commute (26 min average).
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 | Attleboro | Needham | Peabody |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 46,762 |
32,459Lowest |
54,695Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.6% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.8±1.4Lowest about the MA average |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
45.3±2.4Highest 13% above MA |
| Peabody and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.9%±2 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.7%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 15.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
24.3%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Needham and Attleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $98,954±$6k 5% below MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$96,657±$4kLowest 7% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $448,100±$13kLowest 20% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$596,200±$12k 6% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,590±$83Lowest 10% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,950±$99 11% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,366 10% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$5,065Lowest 15% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48%±5.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
58.3%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Peabody and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.6%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.2% MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
65.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 5% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.1 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #185 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #228 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Attleboro | — | Peabody |
| High school in town | Attleboro High | — | Peabody Veterans Memorial High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.3Highest |
— | 10.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.