What stands out worked out from the figures below

Peabody has the shortest commute (26 min average).

Maynard has the most people working from home (22.9%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Peabody	Maynard
People
Population	54,695Highest	10,712Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.3% MA: +7.4%	+6.3% MA: +7.4%
Median age	45.3±2.4 13% above MA	45.3±4.3 13% above MA
Kids under 18	18.7%±1.8Highest MA: 19.4%	16.9%±4.3Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Peabody and Maynard 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%	18.2%±3.3Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35%Lowest MA: 47.3%	64.2%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.4%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9%	3.5%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Peabody and Maynard 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	$124,067±$16kHighest 19% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$596,200±$12kHighest 6% above MA	$527,400±$31kLowest 6% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,950±$99Highest 11% above MA	$1,800±$148Lowest about the MA average
	Peabody and Maynard 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	$8,266Highest 38% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	58.3%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8%	44.9%±9.6Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Peabody and Maynard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.7%Lowest MA: 10%	8.3%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	65.6%Lowest MA: 62.5%	75%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA	1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest 11% below MA	32 minHighest 9% above MA
Work from home	10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6%	22.9%±7.7Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#228 of 282 in MA	#166 of 282 in MA
School district	Peabody	Maynard
High school in town	Peabody Veterans Memorial High	Maynard High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.3Highest	9.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.