Compare towns
Danvers vs Epping vs Plainville vs Peabody
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 highest household income ($125k).
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
Plainville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20.3%).
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 | Epping | Plainville | Peabody |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098 |
7,430Lowest |
9,943 |
54,695Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+20.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Highest 16% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5 16% above U.S. |
43.2±3.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
45.3±2.4Highest 16% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±4 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.2%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±1.7Highest 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% |
44.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.8 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±$10kHighest 55% above U.S. |
$104,220±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$104,106±$13k 29% above U.S. |
$96,657±$4kLowest 20% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$436,900±$35kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$476,000±$35k 43% above U.S. |
$596,200±$12k 79% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,742±$576Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$1,977±$197 40% above U.S. |
$1,950±$99 38% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Plainville 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. |
$6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
$5,329 71% above U.S. |
$5,065Lowest 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.8%±13.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.3%±5.9 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
29 min 10% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest 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 | #102 of 282 in MA | #228 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Epping School District | Plainville | Peabody |
| High school in town | — | Epping High School | None in town | Peabody Veterans Memorial High |
| 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.