Compare towns
Peabody vs Smithfield vs Danvers
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 most kids (18.7% under 18).
Smithfield has the most affordable homes ($446k median).
Danvers has the most people working from home (19.3%).
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 | Smithfield | Danvers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 54,695Highest |
22,233Lowest |
28,098 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±2.4Highest 16% above U.S. |
41.8±2.6Lowest 7% above U.S. |
45.3±3Highest 16% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
| Peabody and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.3%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
16.7%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,657±$4kLowest 20% above U.S. |
$102,077±$8k 26% above U.S. |
$125,395±$10kHighest 55% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $596,200±$12k 79% above U.S. |
$446,400±$12kLowest 34% above U.S. |
$644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,950±$99 38% above U.S. |
$1,016±$241Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Peabody 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. |
$5,207 67% above U.S. |
$6,654Highest 113% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±5.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.8%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Peabody and Smithfield 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% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Danvers and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #228 of 282 in MA | #8 of 38 in RI | #91 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Peabody | Smithfield | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers |
| High school in town | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | Smithfield High School | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
11.8 |
12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.