Compare towns
Peabody vs Saugus vs Stoneham
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).
Saugus has the most homeowners (71.5%).
Stoneham has the most people working from home (24.6%).
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 | Saugus | Stoneham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 54,695Highest |
28,773 |
23,355Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.5% MA: +7.4% |
+8.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±2.4Highest 13% above MA |
44.5±2.5 11% above MA |
42.2±2.2Lowest 6% above MA |
| Peabody and Saugus 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% |
15.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Stoneham 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% |
22%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Peabody and Saugus 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% |
31.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
55.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Saugus and Stoneham 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 |
$101,539±$3k about the MA average |
$113,964±$10kHighest 10% above MA |
| Stoneham and Saugus 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 |
$603,400±$13k 7% above MA |
$671,900±$26kHighest 20% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,950±$99Lowest 11% above MA |
$2,241±$201Highest 27% above MA |
$2,035±$142 15% above MA |
| Saugus and Stoneham 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 |
$6,049 about the MA average |
$6,523Highest 9% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
53%±9.2 MA: 51.8% |
41.9%±8.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| 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 MA: 10% |
6% MA: 10% |
5.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
71.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
1964 same as MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
30 minHighest about the MA average |
28 min 4% below MA |
| Work from home | 10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14.3%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #228 of 282 in MA | #194 of 282 in MA | #117 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Peabody | Saugus | Stoneham |
| High school in town | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | Saugus High | Stoneham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
15.5Highest |
10.7 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.