Compare towns
Danvers vs Lyme 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).
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.2%).
Peabody has the most affordable homes ($596k median).
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 | Lyme | Peabody |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098 |
1,710Lowest |
54,695Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Lowest 16% above U.S. |
48.6±7.8Highest 25% above U.S. |
45.3±2.4Lowest 16% above U.S. |
| Lyme 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% |
19.5%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Lyme 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% |
26.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lyme 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
70.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest 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. |
$133,906±$15kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$96,657±$4kLowest 20% above U.S. |
| Lyme and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23k 94% above U.S. |
$645,000±$64kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$596,200±$12kLowest 79% above U.S. |
| Lyme and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,418±$130Lowest 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. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,065Lowest 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±29.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.3%±5.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Peabody and Lyme 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% |
4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lyme 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 | — | #228 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Lyme School District | 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 Our Story | 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.