Compare towns
Danvers vs Needham vs Ogunquit 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).
Needham has the highest household income ($214k).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Needham | Ogunquit | Peabody |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098 |
32,459 |
1,379Lowest |
54,695Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3 16% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
45.3±2.4 16% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Needham 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±$10k 55% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$96,657±$4kLowest 20% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23k 94% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79k 163% above U.S. |
$596,200±$12kLowest 79% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192 47% above U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
— | $1,950±$99Lowest 38% above U.S. |
| Needham and Danvers 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. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$5,065 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.3%±5.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Peabody and Needham 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% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Needham 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 | #19 of 282 in MA | — | #228 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Needham | — | Peabody |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Needham High | — | Peabody Veterans Memorial High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
11.9 |
— | 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.