Compare towns
Danvers vs Shirley vs Peabody
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 expensive homes ($644k median).
Shirley has the most affordable homes ($428k median).
Peabody has the shortest commute (26 min average).
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 | Shirley | Peabody |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098 |
6,976Lowest |
54,695Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
44.3±3.4Lowest 11% above MA |
45.3±2.4Highest 13% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2 MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±4.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.7%±1.8Highest 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% |
19.8%±5.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
24.3%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| 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 MA: 47.3% |
36.7% MA: 47.3% |
35%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.7%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Shirley 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 |
$122,365±$16k 18% above MA |
$96,657±$4kLowest 7% below MA |
| Danvers and Shirley 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 |
$427,600±$36kLowest 24% below MA |
$596,200±$12k 6% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,481±$421Lowest 16% below MA |
$1,950±$99 11% 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 |
$5,156 14% below MA |
$5,065Lowest 15% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.1%±21.8 MA: 51.8% |
58.3%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Peabody and Shirley 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% |
9.9%Highest MA: 10% |
7.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2% MA: 62.5% |
77.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
65.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
40 minHighest 39% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
21%±7.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Shirley 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 | #239 of 282 in MA | #228 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Ayer Shirley 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 |
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.