Compare towns
Danvers vs Peabody vs Wareham vs Middleton
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).
Middleton has the highest household income ($167k).
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 | Middleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098 |
54,695Highest |
23,302 |
9,816Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3 13% above MA |
45.3±2.4 13% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
43.1±2Lowest 8% 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% |
17.2%±3 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%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
24.3%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±2.9Lowest 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% |
41.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest 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±$10k 21% above MA |
$96,657±$4k 7% below MA |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
$167,402±$29kHighest 61% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23k 15% above MA |
$596,200±$12k 6% above MA |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
$742,700±$48kHighest 32% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,950±$99 11% above MA |
$1,504±$180 15% below MA |
$1,407±$284Lowest 20% 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 | $6,654 11% above MA |
$5,065 15% below MA |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
$8,785Highest 47% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
58.3%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest 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% MA: 10% |
7.7%Highest MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2% MA: 62.5% |
65.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
92.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 1 yr older than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
30 minHighest 3% above 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% |
12.5%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Danvers and Middleton 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 | #71 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Peabody | Wareham | Middleton |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | Wareham Senior High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
10.3 |
8.6Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.