Compare towns
Peabody vs Douglas 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).
Douglas has the highest household income ($152k).
Danvers has the most expensive homes ($644k median).
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 | Douglas | Danvers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 54,695Highest |
9,207Lowest |
28,098 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±2.4Highest 13% above MA |
44±2.6Lowest 10% above MA |
45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Douglas and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.3%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest 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% |
41.7% MA: 47.3% |
48.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Douglas 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 |
$152,267±$10kHighest 46% above MA |
$125,395±$10k 21% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $596,200±$12k 6% above MA |
$470,600±$29kLowest 16% below MA |
$644,200±$23kHighest 15% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,950±$99 11% above MA |
$1,503±$697Lowest 15% below MA |
$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
| Danvers and Peabody 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 |
$6,338 6% above MA |
$6,654Highest 11% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest 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% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
69.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
34 minHighest 16% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20.9%±4.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Douglas 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 | #228 of 282 in MA | #177 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Peabody | Douglas | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers |
| High school in town | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | Douglas High School | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3 |
7.2Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| 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.