Compare towns
Hull vs Peabody vs Brewster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hull has the highest household income ($115k).
Peabody has the most kids (18.7% under 18).
Brewster has the shortest commute (21 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 | Hull | Peabody | Brewster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,138Lowest |
54,695Highest |
10,420 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.1±1.8 40% above MA |
45.3±2.4Lowest 13% above MA |
59.6±4.7Highest 49% above MA |
| Brewster and Hull are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.7%±1.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
24.3%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
38.6%±4.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.4% MA: 47.3% |
35%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
55.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.7%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Peabody and Hull are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $115,485±$14kHighest 11% above MA |
$96,657±$4kLowest 7% below MA |
$103,317±$16k about the MA average |
| Hull and Brewster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $646,000±$38k 15% above MA |
$596,200±$12kLowest 6% above MA |
$707,700±$51kHighest 26% above MA |
| Brewster and Hull are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,081±$187Highest 18% above MA |
$1,950±$99 11% above MA |
$1,589±$465Lowest 10% below MA |
| Hull and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,089Highest about the MA average |
$5,065 15% below MA |
$4,397Lowest 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±14Lowest MA: 51.8% |
58.3%±5.9 MA: 51.8% |
61.2%±23.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Brewster and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.7%Highest MA: 10% |
6.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.6% MA: 62.5% |
65.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1983Highest 19 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 14% above MA |
26 min 11% below MA |
21 minLowest 28% below MA |
| Work from home | 19.7%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20.3%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Brewster and Hull 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 | #66 of 282 in MA | #228 of 282 in MA | #160 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hull | Peabody | Brewster |
| High school in town | Hull High | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.8Lowest |
10.3Highest |
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| 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.