Compare towns
Danvers vs Dummer 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 most people working from home (19.3%).
Dummer has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
Middleton has the highest household income ($167k).
Peabody has the most renters (34.4% rent).
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 | Dummer | Middleton | Peabody |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098 |
299Lowest |
9,816 |
54,695Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%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. |
53.6±6.4Highest 38% above U.S. |
43.1±2Lowest 11% above U.S. |
45.3±2.4 16% above U.S. |
| Dummer 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% |
19.4%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Dummer and Peabody 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% |
21.4%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
16.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
35% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
0%±5.7Lowest 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. |
$91,250±$21kLowest 13% 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. |
$242,200±$51kLowest 27% below 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. |
— | $1,407±$284Lowest 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. |
$2,898Lowest 7% below U.S. |
$8,785Highest 182% above U.S. |
$5,065 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
25.7%±25.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.3%±5.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
9%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% |
94.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 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. |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.8%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.5%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±1.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Danvers and Middleton 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 | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | — | Middleton | Peabody |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | — | None in town | Peabody Veterans Memorial High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | — | 10.3Lowest |
| 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.