Compare towns
Danvers vs Reading vs Middleton 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 oldest housing (typical home built 1963).
Reading has the most affordable homes ($377k median).
Middleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
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 | Reading | Middleton | Peabody |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098 |
699Lowest |
9,816 |
54,695Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3 16% above U.S. |
51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S. |
43.1±2Lowest 11% above U.S. |
45.3±2.4 16% above U.S. |
| Reading 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 U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Peabody and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Reading and Peabody 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% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Peabody and Danvers 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. |
$85,000±$19kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$167,402±$29kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$96,657±$4k 20% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23k 94% above U.S. |
$377,200±$72kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$742,700±$48kHighest 123% above U.S. |
$596,200±$12k 79% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,100±$331Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,407±$284 about the U.S. average |
$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 | $6,654 113% above U.S. |
$5,754 84% above U.S. |
$8,785Highest 182% above U.S. |
$5,065Lowest 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.3%±5.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Reading 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% |
8.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.5%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading 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 | — | #71 of 282 in MA | #228 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Middleton | 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.