Compare towns
Peabody vs Reading vs Danvers vs Attleboro
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).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
Attleboro has the most affordable homes ($448k median).
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 | Reading | Danvers | Attleboro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 54,695Highest |
25,612Lowest |
28,098 |
46,762 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+6.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±2.4Highest 13% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
39.8±1.4Lowest about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.9%±2 MA: 19.4% |
| Reading and Attleboro 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% |
20.7%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Peabody and Danvers 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% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
48.4% MA: 47.3% |
34%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Attleboro and Peabody 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 |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$125,395±$10k 21% above MA |
$98,954±$6k 5% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $596,200±$12k 6% above MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$644,200±$23k 15% above MA |
$448,100±$13kLowest 20% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,950±$99 11% above MA |
$1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,590±$83Lowest 10% below MA |
| Danvers and Reading 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 |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$6,654 11% above MA |
$5,366 10% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
48%±5.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Peabody and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.7% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
8.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
69.2% MA: 62.5% |
66.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
31 minHighest 6% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
31 min 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
14.5%±2.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #228 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA | #185 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Peabody | Reading | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Attleboro |
| High school in town | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | Reading Memorial High | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Attleboro High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
12.1 |
12.8 |
15.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.