Compare towns
Danvers vs Nelson vs Stoddard 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 highest household income ($125k).
Nelson has the most people working from home (31.5%).
Stoddard has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.5%).
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 | Nelson | Stoddard | Peabody |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098 |
648Lowest |
1,072 |
54,695Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-13.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3 16% above U.S. |
42.3±11.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
53±4Highest 36% above U.S. |
45.3±2.4 16% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±6.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.8%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Nelson and Stoddard 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% |
61.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
35% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.7 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±$10kHighest 55% above U.S. |
$99,792±$23k 24% above U.S. |
$94,904±$11kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$96,657±$4k 20% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$340,900±$49k about the U.S. average |
$330,300±$20kLowest about the U.S. average |
$596,200±$12k 79% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,203±$243 15% below U.S. |
$895±$751Lowest 37% below U.S. |
$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 | $6,654Highest 113% above U.S. |
$5,575 79% above U.S. |
$4,316Lowest 38% above U.S. |
$5,065 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±68.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.3%±5.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Peabody and Stoddard 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% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 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 min 8% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
31.5%±8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±1.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | Nelson School District | Stoddard School District | Peabody |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | None in town | 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 | 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.