Compare towns
Peabody vs Dover vs Saugus
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).
Dover has the highest household income ($250k).
Saugus has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.5%).
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 | Dover | Saugus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 54,695Highest |
5,930Lowest |
28,773 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±2.4Highest 13% above MA |
44.9±2.3 12% above MA |
44.5±2.5Lowest 11% above MA |
| Peabody and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
26%±5.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 24.3%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Peabody and Saugus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35% MA: 47.3% |
84.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
31.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.2%±2.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Dover and Saugus 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 |
$250,001Highest 140% above MA |
$101,539±$3k about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $596,200±$12kLowest 6% above MA |
$1,340,300±$117kHighest 138% above MA |
$603,400±$13k 7% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,950±$99Lowest 11% above MA |
$2,917±$2kHighest 66% above MA |
$2,241±$201 27% above MA |
| Dover and Saugus 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 |
$6,049 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
20%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
53%±9.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Peabody and Saugus 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% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
97.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1970Highest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
34.2%±6.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.3%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #228 of 282 in MA | #1 of 282 in MA | #194 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Peabody | Dover · Dover-Sherborn | Saugus |
| High school in town | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | Dover-Sherborn Regional High | Saugus High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3 |
9.8Lowest |
15.5Highest |
| 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.