Compare towns
Beverly 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
Beverly has the youngest population (median age 39).
Needham has the highest household income ($214k).
Peabody has the most affordable homes ($596k median).
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 | Beverly | Needham | Peabody |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 42,665 |
32,459Lowest |
54,695Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±1.8Lowest 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 | 18.5%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.7%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
24.3%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.4% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.3%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,044±$7k about the MA average |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$96,657±$4kLowest 7% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $650,300±$13k 16% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$596,200±$12kLowest 6% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,771±$106Lowest about the MA average |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,950±$99 11% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,836 14% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$5,065Lowest 15% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.5%±7.2Lowest 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 | 9.4%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 60.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
65.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 3% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 22.3%±2.4 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 | #144 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #228 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Beverly | Needham | Peabody |
| High school in town | Beverly High | Needham High | Peabody Veterans Memorial High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Highest |
11.9 |
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.