Compare towns
Danvers vs Lee 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 highest household income ($125k).
Lee has the most affordable homes ($353k median).
Peabody has the most kids (18.7% under 18).
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 | Lee | Peabody |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098 |
5,719Lowest |
54,695Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
-2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Lowest 13% above MA |
55.2±5.8Highest 38% above MA |
45.3±2.4Lowest 13% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2 MA: 19.4% |
12.6%±5Lowest 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%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
33.4%±6.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
24.3%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.1% MA: 47.3% |
35%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5%±2.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Lee 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 21% above MA |
$83,750±$13kLowest 19% below MA |
$96,657±$4k 7% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23kHighest 15% above MA |
$352,700±$19kLowest 37% below MA |
$596,200±$12k 6% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,375±$212Lowest 22% below MA |
$1,950±$99 11% above MA |
| Danvers and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,654Highest 11% above MA |
$3,980Lowest 34% below MA |
$5,065 15% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.3%±21.2 MA: 51.8% |
58.3%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Peabody and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.2% MA: 10% |
7.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2% MA: 62.5% |
71.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
65.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 1 yr older than MA |
1959Lowest 5 yrs older than MA |
1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest about the MA average |
18 minLowest 38% below MA |
26 min 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.4%±7.8 MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Danvers and Lee 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 | #209 of 282 in MA | #228 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Lee | Peabody |
| High school in town | — | Lee Middle/High School | Peabody Veterans Memorial High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.2Lowest |
10.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.