What stands out worked out from the figures below

Peabody has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.3%).

Northbridge has the most people working from home (16.2%).

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	Northbridge
People
Population	54,695Highest	16,458Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.3%Highest MA: +7.4%	+4%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	45.3±2.4Highest 13% above MA	43.8±2.6Lowest 9% above MA
	Peabody and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.7%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4%	21.1%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4%
	Northbridge 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%	16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35%Lowest MA: 47.3%	36.9%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.4%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9%	4.3%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Peabody and Northbridge 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	$111,319±$19kHighest 7% above MA
	Northbridge and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$596,200±$12kHighest 6% above MA	$448,600±$15kLowest 20% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,950±$99Highest 11% above MA	$1,207±$102Lowest 31% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,065Highest 15% below MA	$4,821Lowest 20% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	58.3%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8%	51.2%±9.8Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Peabody and Northbridge 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%	7.9%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	65.6%Lowest MA: 62.5%	70.5%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1966Lowest 2 yrs newer than MA	1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest 11% below MA	31 minHighest 7% above MA
Work from home	10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6%	16.2%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#228 of 282 in MA	#226 of 282 in MA
School district	Peabody	Northbridge
High school in town	Peabody Veterans Memorial High	Northbridge High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.3Lowest	10.8Highest
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.