What stands out worked out from the figures below

Lenox has the most people working from home (18.3%).

Peabody has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.3%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Lenox	Peabody
People
Population	5,079Lowest	54,695Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+6.3%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	60.1±4.3Highest 50% above MA	45.3±2.4Lowest 13% above MA
Kids under 18	13.3%±4.1Lowest MA: 19.4%	18.7%±1.8Highest MA: 19.4%
	Peabody and Lenox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	40.1%±7.8Highest MA: 17.9%	24.3%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	52.7%Highest MA: 47.3%	35%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.5%±2.8Highest MA: 7.9%	4.4%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Lenox and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$106,080±$31kHighest about the MA average	$96,657±$4kLowest 7% below MA
	Lenox and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$466,700±$43kLowest 17% below MA	$596,200±$12kHighest 6% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,091±$238Lowest 38% below MA	$1,950±$99Highest 11% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,299Highest 12% below MA	$5,065Lowest 15% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	47.2%±18.8Lowest MA: 51.8%	58.3%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8%
	Peabody and Lenox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.5%Highest MA: 10%	7.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	71.4%Highest MA: 62.5%	65.6%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1966 2 yrs newer than MA	1966 2 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minLowest 22% below MA	26 minHighest 11% below MA
Work from home	18.3%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6%	10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Lenox and Peabody 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	#90 of 282 in MA	#228 of 282 in MA
School district	Lenox	Peabody
High school in town	Lenox Memorial High	Peabody Veterans Memorial High
Students per teacherat that high school	7.6Lowest	10.3Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.