Compare towns
Danvers vs Chilmark vs Middleton vs Peabody
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Danvers has the oldest housing (typical home built 1963).
Chilmark has grown the fastest since 2010 (+40%).
Middleton has the youngest population (median age 43.1).
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 | Danvers | Chilmark | Middleton | Peabody |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098 |
1,578Lowest |
9,816 |
54,695Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+40%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.8% MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3 13% above MA |
53.6±8.1Highest 34% above MA |
43.1±2Lowest 8% above MA |
45.3±2.4 13% above MA |
| Chilmark and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2 MA: 19.4% |
16.7%±4.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±3 MA: 19.4% |
18.7%±1.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Peabody and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
36.2%±12.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
24.3%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Chilmark and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4% MA: 47.3% |
68.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.7% MA: 47.3% |
35%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
2.7%±2.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Peabody and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $125,395±$10k 21% above MA |
$168,750±$28kHighest 62% above MA |
$167,402±$29k 61% above MA |
$96,657±$4kLowest 7% below MA |
| Chilmark and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23k 15% above MA |
$1,895,300±$281kHighest 237% above MA |
$742,700±$48k 32% above MA |
$596,200±$12kLowest 6% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192 18% above MA |
$2,750±$2kHighest 56% above MA |
$1,407±$284Lowest 20% below MA |
$1,950±$99 11% above MA |
| Chilmark and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,654 11% above MA |
$4,485Lowest 25% below MA |
$8,785Highest 47% above MA |
$5,065 15% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
30.8%±59.9 MA: 51.8% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
58.3%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Peabody and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% MA: 10% |
4.1% MA: 10% |
3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2% MA: 62.5% |
89.4% MA: 62.5% |
92.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
65.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1984 20 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
32 minHighest 8% above MA |
30 min 3% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±11Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Chilmark and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #91 of 282 in MA | — | #71 of 282 in MA | #228 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Up-Island Regional | Middleton | Peabody |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | Peabody Veterans Memorial High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 10.3 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.