Compare towns
Peabody vs Webster 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).
Webster has the most affordable homes ($362k median).
Danvers has the most people working from home (19.3%).
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 | Webster | Danvers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 54,695Highest |
17,748Lowest |
28,098 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±2.4Highest 13% above MA |
39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Webster 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% |
19.6%±2.5Lowest 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% MA: 47.3% |
25.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
48.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Webster 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 |
$72,895±$6kLowest 30% below MA |
$125,395±$10kHighest 21% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $596,200±$12k 6% above MA |
$361,500±$12kLowest 36% below MA |
$644,200±$23kHighest 15% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,950±$99 11% above MA |
$1,228±$81Lowest 30% 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 | $5,065 15% below MA |
$3,999Lowest 33% below MA |
$6,654Highest 11% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7Lowest 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% MA: 10% |
12.7%Highest MA: 10% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.6% MA: 62.5% |
59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 10.3%±1.6 MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #228 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Peabody | Webster | — |
| High school in town | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | Bartlett High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
11.6Highest |
— |
| 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.