Compare towns
Middleton vs Epping vs Danvers vs Peabody
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middleton has the highest household income ($167k).
Epping has the most affordable homes ($437k median).
Danvers has the oldest housing (typical home built 1963).
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 | Middleton | Epping | Danvers | Peabody |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,816 |
7,430Lowest |
28,098 |
54,695Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±2Lowest 11% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5 16% above U.S. |
45.3±3Highest 16% above U.S. |
45.3±2.4Highest 16% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Peabody and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
37% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Epping and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $167,402±$29kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$104,220±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$125,395±$10k 55% above U.S. |
$96,657±$4kLowest 20% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $742,700±$48kHighest 123% above U.S. |
$436,900±$35kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$644,200±$23k 94% above U.S. |
$596,200±$12k 79% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,407±$284Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,742±$576 23% above U.S. |
$2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,950±$99 38% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,785Highest 182% above U.S. |
$6,936 122% above U.S. |
$6,654 113% above U.S. |
$5,065Lowest 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.7%±25.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.3%±5.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 14% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.5%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Epping and Danvers 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 | #71 of 282 in MA | #77 of 120 in NH | #91 of 282 in MA | #228 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Middleton | Epping School District | — | Peabody |
| High school in town | None in town | Epping High School | — | Peabody Veterans Memorial High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.3Lowest |
— | 10.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.