Compare towns
Danvers vs Peabody vs Springfield
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 most people working from home (19.3%).
Peabody has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.3%).
Springfield has the most affordable homes ($245k 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 | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098Lowest |
54,695 |
154,749Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
45.3±2.4Highest 13% above MA |
33.7±0.5Lowest 16% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.7%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
24.2%±0.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
24.3%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
13.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Peabody and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35% MA: 47.3% |
20.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
7.5%±0.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $125,395±$10kHighest 21% above MA |
$96,657±$4k 7% below MA |
$52,656±$2kLowest 49% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23kHighest 15% above MA |
$596,200±$12k 6% above MA |
$245,000±$4kLowest 56% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,950±$99 11% above MA |
$1,144±$55Lowest 35% below 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 |
$5,065 15% below MA |
$3,695Lowest 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
58.3%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±3.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Peabody and Springfield 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% |
7.7% MA: 10% |
25.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
65.6% MA: 62.5% |
49.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 1 yr older than MA |
1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest about the MA average |
26 min 11% below MA |
20 minLowest 31% below MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±1.6 MA: 18.6% |
8.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #91 of 282 in MA | #228 of 282 in MA | #276 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Peabody | Springfield |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | Springfield Central High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
10.3Lowest |
12.2 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.