Compare towns
Danvers vs Peacham vs Reading 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).
Peacham has the most affordable homes ($302k median).
Reading has the most homeowners (84.9%).
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 | Peacham | Reading | Peabody |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098 |
887 |
699Lowest |
54,695Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Lowest 16% above U.S. |
50.1±5.7 29% above U.S. |
51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S. |
45.3±2.4Lowest 16% above U.S. |
| Reading and Peacham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Peacham and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.6%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Peacham and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Peacham 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. |
$90,000±$28k 11% above U.S. |
$85,000±$19kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$96,657±$4k 20% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$302,000±$64kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$377,200±$72k 13% above U.S. |
$596,200±$12k 79% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,028±$248Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,100±$331 22% below U.S. |
$1,950±$99 38% above U.S. |
| 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 113% above U.S. |
$5,605 80% above U.S. |
$5,754 84% above U.S. |
$5,065Lowest 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.7%±17.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.3%±5.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Peacham and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
76.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.2%±16.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Peacham and Reading 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 | — | — | #228 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Peacham School District | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | 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 |
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.