Compare towns
Peabody vs Rye vs Danvers 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 shortest commute (26 min average).
Rye has the most people working from home (30.9%).
Saugus has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.5%).
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 | Rye | Danvers | Saugus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 54,695Highest |
5,611Lowest |
28,098 |
28,773 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±2.4 16% above U.S. |
55.1±3Highest 42% above U.S. |
45.3±3 16% above U.S. |
44.5±2.5Lowest 14% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
15.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Peabody and Rye 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% |
31.7%±5.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
22%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35% U.S.: 35.7% |
61.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Saugus 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 20% above U.S. |
$140,655±$39kHighest 74% above U.S. |
$125,395±$10k 55% above U.S. |
$101,539±$3k 26% above U.S. |
| Rye and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $596,200±$12kLowest 79% above U.S. |
$1,028,100±$89kHighest 209% above U.S. |
$644,200±$23k 94% above U.S. |
$603,400±$13k 81% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,950±$99 38% above U.S. |
$1,781±$156Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$2,076±$192 47% above U.S. |
$2,241±$201Highest 59% above U.S. |
| Saugus and Danvers 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. |
$7,519Highest 141% above U.S. |
$6,654 113% above U.S. |
$6,049 94% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±5.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.3%±16.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
53%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Peabody and Saugus 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% |
6.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
30.9%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #228 of 282 in MA | #2 of 120 in NH | #91 of 282 in MA | #194 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Peabody | Rye School District | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Saugus |
| High school in town | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | None in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Saugus High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
— | 12.8 |
15.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 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.