Compare towns
Danvers vs Peabody vs Westminster
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 renters (34.4% rent).
Westminster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.9%).
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 | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098 |
54,695Highest |
8,374Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
+12.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Lowest 13% above MA |
45.3±2.4Lowest 13% above MA |
48.3±4.6Highest 21% above MA |
| Westminster and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.7%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Westminster and Peabody 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%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Westminster 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
45.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
1.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| 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 21% above MA |
$96,657±$4kLowest 7% below MA |
$106,331±$22k about the MA average |
| Danvers and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23kHighest 15% above MA |
$596,200±$12k 6% above MA |
$422,000±$36kLowest 25% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,950±$99 11% above MA |
$1,843±$268Lowest 5% above 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 |
$4,973Lowest 17% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
58.3%±5.9 MA: 51.8% |
60%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Westminster and Peabody 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% |
2.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2% MA: 62.5% |
65.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest about the MA average |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
27 min 7% below MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±4.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Danvers and Westminster 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 | #112 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Peabody | Ashburnham-Westminster |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | Oakmont Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
10.3Lowest |
13.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.