Compare towns
Danvers vs Plainfield vs Peabody
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Danvers has the most expensive homes ($644k median).
Plainfield has the most homeowners (87.3%).
Peabody has the most renters (34.4% rent).
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098 |
2,522Lowest |
54,695Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Highest 16% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.3±2.4Highest 16% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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±$10kHighest 55% above U.S. |
$122,656±$13k 52% above U.S. |
$96,657±$4kLowest 20% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$442,400±$47kLowest 33% above U.S. |
$596,200±$12k 79% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,674±$181Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$1,950±$99 38% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,654 113% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$5,065Lowest 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.3%±5.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Danvers and Plainfield 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 | #19 of 120 in NH | #228 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Plainfield School District | Peabody |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | None in town | Peabody Veterans Memorial High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 10.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.