Compare towns
Peabody vs Strafford 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 most renters (34.4% rent).
Strafford has the most affordable homes ($431k median).
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 | Strafford | Saugus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 54,695Highest |
1,372Lowest |
28,773 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±2.4 16% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7Highest 32% above U.S. |
44.5±2.5Lowest 14% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
22%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Peabody and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Saugus and Strafford 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. |
$110,833±$19kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$101,539±$3k 26% above U.S. |
| Strafford 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±$12k 79% above U.S. |
$431,300±$40kLowest 30% above U.S. |
$603,400±$13kHighest 81% above U.S. |
| Saugus and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,950±$99 38% above U.S. |
$1,125±$789Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$2,241±$201Highest 59% above U.S. |
| Saugus 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. |
$7,149Highest 129% above U.S. |
$6,049 94% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±5.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48Lowest 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% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Strafford and Saugus 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 | — | #194 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Peabody | Strafford School District | Saugus |
| High school in town | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | None in town | Saugus High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
— | 15.5Highest |
| 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.