Compare towns
Peabody vs Wareham vs Danvers vs Lynnfield
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).
Wareham has the most affordable homes ($425k median).
Lynnfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.1%).
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 | Wareham | Danvers | Lynnfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 54,695Highest |
23,302 |
28,098 |
13,064Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3% MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+12.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±2.4 13% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
45.3±3 13% above MA |
41.4±2.1Lowest 4% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2 MA: 19.4% |
28%±4.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 24.3%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
17.9%±2.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Wareham and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35% MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
48.4% MA: 47.3% |
62.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
3.2%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham 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±$4k 7% below MA |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
$125,395±$10k 21% above MA |
$175,265±$23kHighest 69% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $596,200±$12k 6% above MA |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
$644,200±$23k 15% above MA |
$917,600±$31kHighest 63% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,950±$99 11% above MA |
$1,504±$180Lowest 15% below MA |
$2,076±$192 18% above MA |
$2,676±$219Highest 52% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,065 15% below MA |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
$6,654 11% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±5.9 MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
69.2%±21.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Lynnfield and Peabody 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% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
69.2% MA: 62.5% |
87.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
1964 same as MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
32 minHighest 10% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
27.4%±4.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Lynnfield 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 | #272 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA | #27 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Peabody | Wareham | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Lynnfield |
| High school in town | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | Wareham Senior High | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Lynnfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3 |
8.6Lowest |
12.8Highest |
12.0 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.