Compare towns
Peabody vs Middleton vs Lynnfield
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 most renters (34.4% rent).
Middleton has the most homeowners (92.7%).
Lynnfield has the most people working from home (27.4%).
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 | Middleton | Lynnfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 54,695Highest |
9,816Lowest |
13,064 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.8% MA: +7.4% |
+12.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±2.4Highest 13% above MA |
43.1±2 8% above MA |
41.4±2.1Lowest 4% above MA |
| Peabody and Middleton 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% |
17.2%±3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
28%±4.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 24.3%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
17.9%±2.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
41.7% MA: 47.3% |
62.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
3.2%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Peabody and Middleton 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 |
$167,402±$29k 61% above MA |
$175,265±$23kHighest 69% above MA |
| Lynnfield and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $596,200±$12kLowest 6% above MA |
$742,700±$48k 32% above MA |
$917,600±$31kHighest 63% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,950±$99 11% above MA |
$1,407±$284Lowest 20% below MA |
$2,676±$219Highest 52% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,065Lowest 15% below MA |
$8,785 47% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±5.9 MA: 51.8% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
69.2%±21.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Lynnfield 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 MA: 10% |
3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
92.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
87.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1964Lowest same as MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
30 min 3% above MA |
32 minHighest 10% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
27.4%±4.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #228 of 282 in MA | #71 of 282 in MA | #27 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Peabody | Middleton | Lynnfield |
| High school in town | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | None in town | Lynnfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
— | 12.0Highest |
| 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.