Compare towns
Danvers vs Somerset vs Wareham 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 people working from home (19.3%).
Somerset has the most homeowners (86.9%).
Wareham has the oldest population (median age 52.1).
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 | Somerset | Wareham | Peabody |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098 |
18,298Lowest |
23,302 |
54,695Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+0.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Lowest 13% above MA |
47±2.2 18% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
45.3±2.4Lowest 13% above MA |
| Wareham and Somerset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2 MA: 19.4% |
18.9%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.7%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Somerset 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% |
25.3%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
24.3%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Wareham and Somerset 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% |
37.6% MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
35% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham and Somerset 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 |
$112,677±$6k 8% above MA |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
$96,657±$4k 7% below MA |
| Danvers and Somerset 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 |
$418,800±$18kLowest 25% below MA |
$424,500±$21k 24% below MA |
$596,200±$12k 6% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,271±$93Lowest 28% below MA |
$1,504±$180 15% 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 |
$4,977 17% below MA |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
$5,065 15% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
58.3%±12.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
58.3%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
7.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2% MA: 62.5% |
86.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
65.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 1 yr older than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
31 minHighest 8% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
12%±2.9 MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Danvers and Wareham 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 | #132 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA | #228 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Somerset Berkley Regional School District · Somerset | Wareham | Peabody |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Somerset Berkley Regional High School | Wareham Senior High | Peabody Veterans Memorial High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
11.6 |
8.6Lowest |
10.3 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.