Compare towns
Danvers vs Thompson 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 people working from home (19.3%).
Thompson has the most affordable homes ($292k 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 | Thompson | Peabody |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098 |
9,337Lowest |
54,695Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Lowest 16% above U.S. |
54.1±2.2Highest 39% above U.S. |
45.3±2.4Lowest 16% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
11.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Peabody and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Thompson 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
35% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 55% above U.S. |
$93,629±$18kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$96,657±$4k 20% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$291,900±$24kLowest 12% below U.S. |
$596,200±$12k 79% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,012±$344Lowest 28% below 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 | $6,654Highest 113% above U.S. |
$3,822Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$5,065 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54%±18.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.3%±5.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Peabody and Thompson 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% |
5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1966Highest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Danvers and Thompson 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 | #130 of 149 in CT | #228 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Thompson School District | Peabody |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Tourtellotte Memorial High School | Peabody Veterans Memorial High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
7.9Lowest |
10.3 |
| 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.