Compare towns
Danvers vs West Boylston 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).
West Boylston has the most affordable homes ($440k 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 | West Boylston | Peabody |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098 |
7,782Lowest |
54,695Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+2.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Lowest 13% above MA |
45.5±2.7Highest 14% above MA |
45.3±2.4Lowest 13% above MA |
| West Boylston and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2 MA: 19.4% |
16.3%±3.6Lowest 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% |
25.8%±3.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
24.3%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| West Boylston 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 MA: 47.3% |
41.8% MA: 47.3% |
35%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
2.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| 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±$10kHighest 21% above MA |
$104,551±$12k about the MA average |
$96,657±$4kLowest 7% below MA |
| Danvers and West Boylston 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 |
$440,000±$24kLowest 22% below MA |
$596,200±$12k 6% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,261±$154Lowest 28% 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 |
$6,115 about the MA average |
$5,065Lowest 15% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
29.9%±12.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
58.3%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Peabody and Danvers 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% |
6.6% MA: 10% |
7.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2% MA: 62.5% |
77.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
65.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest about the MA average |
25 minLowest 14% below MA |
26 min 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.7%±4.5 MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Danvers and West Boylston 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 | #97 of 282 in MA | #228 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | West Boylston | Peabody |
| High school in town | — | West Boylston Junior/Senior High | Peabody Veterans Memorial High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.6Highest |
10.3Lowest |
| 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.