Compare towns
Danvers vs Northbridge vs Upton 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 most expensive homes ($644k median).
Northbridge has the most affordable homes ($449k median).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
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 | Northbridge | Upton | Peabody |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098 |
16,458 |
8,189Lowest |
54,695Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3 13% above MA |
43.8±2.6Lowest 9% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
45.3±2.4 13% above MA |
| Upton and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.7%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Northbridge 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% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
24.3%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| 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% MA: 47.3% |
36.9% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Peabody and Northbridge 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 |
$111,319±$19k 7% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$96,657±$4kLowest 7% below MA |
| Upton and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23kHighest 15% above MA |
$448,600±$15kLowest 20% below MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$596,200±$12k 6% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,207±$102 31% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% 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 | $6,654 11% above MA |
$4,821Lowest 20% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$5,065 15% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±9.8 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
58.3%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Peabody and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% MA: 10% |
7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2% MA: 62.5% |
70.5% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
65.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
31 min 7% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Upton 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 | #226 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #228 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Northbridge | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Peabody |
| High school in town | — | Northbridge High | Blackstone Valley | Peabody Veterans Memorial High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.8 |
11.2Highest |
10.3Lowest |
| 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.