Compare towns
Peabody vs Springfield vs Leominster
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 expensive homes ($596k median).
Springfield has the most affordable homes ($245k median).
Leominster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).
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 | Springfield | Leominster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 54,695 |
154,749Highest |
43,909Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3% MA: +7.4% |
+1.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±2.4Highest 13% above MA |
33.7±0.5Lowest 16% below MA |
43.3±2.2 8% above MA |
| Peabody and Leominster 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% |
24.2%±0.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
19%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 24.3%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
13.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35%Highest MA: 47.3% |
20.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
33.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.5%±0.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,657±$4kHighest 7% below MA |
$52,656±$2kLowest 49% below MA |
$83,816±$7k 19% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $596,200±$12kHighest 6% above MA |
$245,000±$4kLowest 56% below MA |
$380,400±$14k 32% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,950±$99Highest 11% above MA |
$1,144±$55Lowest 35% below MA |
$1,354±$50 23% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,065 15% below MA |
$3,695Lowest 38% below MA |
$5,256Highest 12% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±3.1 MA: 51.8% |
48.9%±5.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Peabody and Springfield 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% |
25.8%Highest MA: 10% |
9.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
49.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
62.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% below MA |
20 minLowest 31% below MA |
26 minHighest 10% below MA |
| Work from home | 10.3%±1.6 MA: 18.6% |
8.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.9%±2.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Leominster and Peabody 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 | #276 of 282 in MA | #233 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Peabody | Springfield | Leominster |
| High school in town | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | Springfield Central High | Leominster High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
12.2Highest |
10.6 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.