Compare towns
Dover vs Peabody vs Saugus
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dover has the highest household income ($250k).
Peabody has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Saugus has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.5%).
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 | Dover | Peabody | Saugus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,930Lowest |
54,695Highest |
28,773 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
+7.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.9±2.3 12% above MA |
45.3±2.4Highest 13% above MA |
44.5±2.5Lowest 11% above MA |
| Peabody and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26%±5.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.7%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
15.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 16.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
24.3%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
22%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Peabody and Saugus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 84.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35% MA: 47.3% |
31.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±2.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Dover and Saugus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $250,001Highest 140% above MA |
$96,657±$4kLowest 7% below MA |
$101,539±$3k about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,340,300±$117kHighest 138% above MA |
$596,200±$12kLowest 6% above MA |
$603,400±$13k 7% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,917±$2kHighest 66% above MA |
$1,950±$99Lowest 11% above MA |
$2,241±$201 27% above MA |
| Dover and Saugus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$5,065Lowest 15% below MA |
$6,049 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
58.3%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
53%±9.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Peabody and Saugus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.7%Highest MA: 10% |
6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
65.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
71.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Highest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 19% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
30 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 34.2%±6.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14.3%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #1 of 282 in MA | #228 of 282 in MA | #194 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dover · Dover-Sherborn | Peabody | Saugus |
| High school in town | Dover-Sherborn Regional High | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | Saugus High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
10.3 |
15.5Highest |
| 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.