Compare towns
Peabody vs Wakefield vs Needham
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 affordable homes ($596k median).
Wakefield has the youngest population (median age 42.4).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k 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 | Wakefield | Needham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 54,695Highest |
27,793Lowest |
32,459 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±2.4Highest 13% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
| Peabody and Needham 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% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 24.3%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Needham 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 |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $596,200±$12kLowest 6% above MA |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,950±$99Lowest 11% above MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,065Lowest 15% below MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Peabody and Needham 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% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
70.7% MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #228 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Peabody | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Needham |
| High school in town | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Needham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
10.7 |
11.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.