Compare towns
Peabody vs Wayne vs Leominster
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 expensive homes ($596k median).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Leominster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).
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 | Wayne | Leominster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 54,695Highest |
1,101Lowest |
43,909 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±2.4 16% above U.S. |
55.6±5.3Highest 43% above U.S. |
43.3±2.2Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Leominster and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.3%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wayne 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wayne and Leominster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,657±$4kHighest 20% above U.S. |
$93,194±$26k 15% above U.S. |
$83,816±$7kLowest 4% above U.S. |
| Peabody and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $596,200±$12kHighest 79% above U.S. |
$362,800±$29kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$380,400±$14k 14% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,950±$99Highest 38% above U.S. |
$983±$554Lowest 30% below U.S. |
$1,354±$50 4% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,065 62% above U.S. |
$3,289Lowest 5% above U.S. |
$5,256Highest 69% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±5.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
25%±52.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.9%±5.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Peabody and Leominster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 10.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.2%±11.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.9%±2.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #228 of 282 in MA | — | #233 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Peabody | RSU 38 | Leominster |
| High school in town | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | None in town | Leominster High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
— | 10.6Highest |
| 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.