Compare towns
Peabody vs Thornton 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 kids (18.7% under 18).
Thornton has the most people working from home (29.8%).
Saugus has the highest household income ($102k).
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 | Thornton | Saugus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 54,695Highest |
2,799Lowest |
28,773 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±2.4 16% above U.S. |
51.1±3.4Highest 31% above U.S. |
44.5±2.5Lowest 14% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.9%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
| Peabody and Saugus 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% |
19%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3%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% |
4.8%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Saugus and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,657±$4k 20% above U.S. |
$90,022±$17kLowest 12% above U.S. |
$101,539±$3kHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Saugus and Peabody 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. |
$351,900±$20kLowest 6% 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. |
$1,270±$428Lowest 10% 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 | $5,065 62% above U.S. |
$5,032Lowest 61% above U.S. |
$6,049Highest 94% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±5.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.7%±24.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
53%±9.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Peabody and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.8%±9.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #228 of 282 in MA | #18 of 120 in NH | #194 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Peabody | Thornton 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.