Compare towns
Peabody vs Sturbridge vs Danvers
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 shortest commute (26 min average).
Sturbridge has the most affordable homes ($426k median).
Danvers has the most expensive homes ($644k median).
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 | Sturbridge | Danvers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 54,695Highest |
9,960Lowest |
28,098 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3% MA: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±2.4Lowest 13% above MA |
47.2±2.6Highest 18% above MA |
45.3±3Lowest 13% above MA |
| Sturbridge 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 MA: 19.4% |
20.7%±3Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Sturbridge 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% |
19.8%±3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
| 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 MA: 47.3% |
49.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
48.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Sturbridge 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 7% below MA |
$136,759±$15kHighest 32% above MA |
$125,395±$10k 21% above MA |
| Sturbridge 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±$12k 6% above MA |
$425,800±$18kLowest 24% below MA |
$644,200±$23kHighest 15% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,950±$99 11% above MA |
$1,193±$398Lowest 32% below MA |
$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
| 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 15% below MA |
$6,520 9% above MA |
$6,654Highest 11% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Peabody and Danvers 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% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
69.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±4.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Sturbridge and Danvers 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 | #89 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Peabody | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers |
| High school in town | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3 |
7.7Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| 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.