Compare towns
Danvers vs Peabody vs Peterborough
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).
Peabody has the most kids (18.7% under 18).
Peterborough has the most affordable homes ($405k 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 | Peabody | Peterborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098 |
54,695Highest |
6,408Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Lowest 16% above U.S. |
45.3±2.4Lowest 16% above U.S. |
52.1±1.9Highest 34% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Peabody and Danvers 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% |
24.3%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Peterborough 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% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.1Lowest 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. |
$96,657±$4kLowest 20% above U.S. |
$98,401±$8k 22% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$596,200±$12k 79% above U.S. |
$404,500±$31kLowest 22% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,950±$99 38% above U.S. |
$1,395±$209Lowest about the U.S. average |
| 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. |
$5,065Lowest 62% above U.S. |
$8,655Highest 177% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.3%±5.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
29.2%±7.4Lowest 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
56.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1970Highest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.8%±4.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Danvers and Peterborough 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 | #59 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Peabody | Contoocook Valley School District |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | Conval Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
10.3Lowest |
12.0 |
| 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.