Compare towns
Peabody vs Acton vs Danvers
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Peabody has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Acton has the most people working from home (35.9%).
Danvers has the oldest housing (typical home built 1963).
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 | Peabody | Acton | Danvers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 54,695Highest |
24,155Lowest |
28,098 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±2.4Highest 13% above MA |
44.5±0.8Lowest 11% above MA |
45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 24.3%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Peabody and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
79.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
48.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Acton and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,657±$4kLowest 7% below MA |
$158,230±$14kHighest 52% above MA |
$125,395±$10k 21% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $596,200±$12kLowest 6% above MA |
$807,300±$20kHighest 44% above MA |
$644,200±$23k 15% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,950±$99Lowest 11% above MA |
$1,986±$155 13% above MA |
$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
| Danvers and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,065Lowest 15% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,654 11% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.7%±11.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Peabody and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.7%Highest MA: 10% |
3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
74.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
69.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
35.9%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #228 of 282 in MA | #13 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Peabody | Acton-Boxborough | — |
| High school in town | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
13.5Highest |
— |
| 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.