What stands out worked out from the figures below

Peabody has the most renters (34.4% rent).

Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Peabody	Wells
People
Population	54,695Highest	11,713Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	45.3±2.4Lowest 16% above U.S.	53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S.
Kids under 18	18.7%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22%	18%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Peabody and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	24.3%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	43.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.4%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Wells 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±$4kHighest 20% above U.S.	$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S.
	Peabody and Wells 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.	$485,300±$23kLowest 46% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,950±$99Highest 38% above U.S.	$1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,065Highest 62% above U.S.	$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	58.3%±5.9Highest U.S.: 51.1%	42.1%±19.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Peabody and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	65.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S.	1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest about the U.S. average	28 minHighest 4% above U.S.
Work from home	10.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	17.8%±4.2Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#228 of 282 in MA	#22 of 133 in ME
School district	Peabody	Wells-Ogunquit CSD
High school in town	Peabody Veterans Memorial High	Wells High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.3Lowest	11.4Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.