Compare towns
Peabody vs Exeter vs Saugus
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Peabody has the most kids (18.7% under 18).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Saugus has the most homeowners (71.5%).
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 | Exeter | Saugus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 54,695Highest |
16,151Lowest |
28,773 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±2.4 16% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
44.5±2.5Lowest 14% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
15.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Peabody and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.3%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter 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 20% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$101,539±$3k 26% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Saugus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $596,200±$12k 79% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$603,400±$13kHighest 81% above U.S. |
| Saugus and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,950±$99 38% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223Lowest 31% above U.S. |
$2,241±$201Highest 59% above U.S. |
| Saugus and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,065Lowest 62% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$6,049 94% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±5.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
53%±9.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter and Saugus 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #194 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Peabody | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Saugus |
| High school in town | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | Exeter High School | Saugus High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
12.1 |
15.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.