Compare towns
Merrimac vs Dedham vs Peabody
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Merrimac has the most homeowners (81.3%).
Dedham has the most people working from home (20%).
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 | Merrimac | Dedham | Peabody |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,748Lowest |
25,237 |
54,695Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.4±6.8Highest 24% above MA |
44.6±1.6Lowest 12% above MA |
45.3±2.4 13% above MA |
| Merrimac and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.5%±6.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
18.7%±1.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Peabody and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.7%±5.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
24.3%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Merrimac and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41% MA: 47.3% |
55%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $123,054±$16k 18% above MA |
$128,955±$10kHighest 24% above MA |
$96,657±$4kLowest 7% below MA |
| Dedham and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $553,400±$38kLowest about the MA average |
$661,800±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
$596,200±$12k 6% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,352±$325Lowest 23% below MA |
$2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$1,950±$99 11% above MA |
| Dedham and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,399 23% above MA |
$7,918Highest 32% above MA |
$5,065Lowest 15% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.3%±29.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10Lowest MA: 51.8% |
58.3%±5.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Merrimac and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.4%Highest MA: 10% |
5.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.4% MA: 62.5% |
65.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 10% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 8.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±1.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #188 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA | #228 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Pentucket | Dedham | Peabody |
| High school in town | None in town | Dedham High | Peabody Veterans Memorial High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4Highest |
10.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.