Compare towns
Danvers vs Heath vs Plainfield 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).
Heath has the most people working from home (31.7%).
Plainfield has the most homeowners (98%).
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 | Heath | Plainfield | Peabody |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098 |
765 |
616Lowest |
54,695Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+2.4% MA: +7.4% |
-2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Lowest 13% above MA |
53.8±11.9Highest 35% above MA |
50.6±9.5 27% above MA |
45.3±2.4Lowest 13% above MA |
| Heath and Plainfield 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% |
13.1%±2.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19%±9.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.7%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Plainfield 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 MA: 17.9% |
33.6%±8.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
29.5%±7.1 MA: 17.9% |
24.3%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Heath and Plainfield 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% |
46.8% MA: 47.3% |
52.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±2.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Plainfield 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 21% above MA |
$98,750±$23k 5% below MA |
$63,500±$14kLowest 39% below MA |
$96,657±$4k 7% below MA |
| Danvers and Heath 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 |
$295,000±$45kLowest 48% below MA |
$309,000±$47k 45% below MA |
$596,200±$12k 6% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
— | $1,292±$558Lowest 27% 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 |
$4,438Lowest 26% below MA |
$4,458 26% below MA |
$5,065 15% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
40%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
40%±100Lowest 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% |
16.9%Highest MA: 10% |
7.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2% MA: 62.5% |
88.3% MA: 62.5% |
98%Highest MA: 62.5% |
65.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
35 min 20% above MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
31.7%±17.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
26.2%±8.8 MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Heath and Plainfield 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 | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | — | — | Peabody |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | — | — | 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 |
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.