Compare towns
Danvers vs Wells 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 highest household income ($125k).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
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 | Wells | Peabody |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098 |
11,713Lowest |
54,695Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Lowest 16% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
45.3±2.4Lowest 16% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Peabody and Wells 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% |
31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wells 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. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$96,657±$4k 20% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23kLowest 46% above U.S. |
$596,200±$12k 79% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,350±$297Lowest 4% 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. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$5,065 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6Lowest 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% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Danvers and Wells 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 | #22 of 133 in ME | #228 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Peabody |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Wells High School | Peabody Veterans Memorial High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
11.4 |
10.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.