Compare towns
Danvers vs Plainfield vs Peabody 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 oldest housing (typical home built 1963).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($309k median).
Peabody has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Middleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
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 | Plainfield | Peabody | Middleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098 |
616Lowest |
54,695Highest |
9,816 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
-2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3 13% above MA |
50.6±9.5Highest 27% above MA |
45.3±2.4 13% above MA |
43.1±2Lowest 8% above MA |
| Plainfield 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% |
19%±9.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.7%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Plainfield and Peabody 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% |
29.5%±7.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
24.3%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Plainfield 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% MA: 47.3% |
52.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
41.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Plainfield 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 |
$63,500±$14kLowest 39% below MA |
$96,657±$4k 7% below MA |
$167,402±$29kHighest 61% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23k 15% above MA |
$309,000±$47kLowest 45% below MA |
$596,200±$12k 6% above MA |
$742,700±$48kHighest 32% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,292±$558Lowest 27% below MA |
$1,950±$99 11% above MA |
$1,407±$284 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 |
$4,458Lowest 26% below MA |
$5,065 15% below MA |
$8,785Highest 47% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
40%±100 MA: 51.8% |
58.3%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| 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% MA: 10% |
16.9%Highest MA: 10% |
7.7% MA: 10% |
3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2% MA: 62.5% |
98%Highest MA: 62.5% |
65.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
92.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
30 min 3% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
26.2%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Plainfield and Danvers 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 | #71 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | — | Peabody | Middleton |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | — | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 10.3Lowest |
— |
| 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.