Compare towns
Merrimac vs Peabody vs Needham
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 oldest population (median age 49.4).
Peabody has the most renters (34.4% rent).
Needham has the most people working from home (32.4%).
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 | Peabody | Needham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,748Lowest |
54,695Highest |
32,459 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.4±6.8Highest 24% above MA |
45.3±2.4 13% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% 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% |
18.7%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 26.7%±5.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
24.3%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest 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% |
35%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Needham 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 |
$96,657±$4kLowest 7% below MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $553,400±$38kLowest about the MA average |
$596,200±$12k 6% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,352±$325Lowest 23% below MA |
$1,950±$99 11% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,399 23% above MA |
$5,065Lowest 15% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.3%±29.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
58.3%±5.9 MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Lowest 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% |
7.7% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.3% MA: 62.5% |
65.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 10% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 8.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±1.6 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #188 of 282 in MA | #228 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Pentucket | Peabody | Needham |
| High school in town | None in town | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | Needham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3Lowest |
11.9Highest |
| 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.