Compare towns
Danvers vs Epping vs Peabody vs Middleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Danvers has the oldest housing (typical home built 1963).
Epping has the most affordable homes ($437k median).
Peabody has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Middleton has the highest household income ($167k).
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 | Epping | Peabody | Middleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098 |
7,430Lowest |
54,695Highest |
9,816 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Highest 16% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5 16% above U.S. |
45.3±2.4Highest 16% above U.S. |
43.1±2Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Peabody and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37% U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Epping and Peabody 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 55% above U.S. |
$104,220±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$96,657±$4kLowest 20% above U.S. |
$167,402±$29kHighest 107% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23k 94% above U.S. |
$436,900±$35kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$596,200±$12k 79% above U.S. |
$742,700±$48kHighest 123% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,742±$576 23% above U.S. |
$1,950±$99 38% above U.S. |
$1,407±$284Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Danvers and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,654 113% above U.S. |
$6,936 122% above U.S. |
$5,065Lowest 62% above U.S. |
$8,785Highest 182% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.3%±5.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1986 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.5%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Epping 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 | #77 of 120 in NH | #228 of 282 in MA | #71 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Epping School District | Peabody | Middleton |
| High school in town | — | Epping High School | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.3Lowest |
10.3Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.