Compare towns
Danvers vs Peabody vs Wareham
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 the most kids (18.7% under 18).
Wareham has the most affordable homes ($425k 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 | Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098 |
54,695Highest |
23,302Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Lowest 13% above MA |
45.3±2.4Lowest 13% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2 MA: 19.4% |
18.7%±1.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| 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 MA: 17.9% |
24.3%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Wareham 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35% MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham 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±$10kHighest 21% above MA |
$96,657±$4k 7% below MA |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23kHighest 15% above MA |
$596,200±$12k 6% above MA |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,950±$99 11% above MA |
$1,504±$180Lowest 15% 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 |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
58.3%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Peabody and Wareham 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%Highest MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2% MA: 62.5% |
65.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 1 yr older than MA |
1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest about the MA average |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Danvers and Wareham 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 | #272 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Peabody | Wareham |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | Wareham Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
10.3 |
8.6Lowest |
| 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.