Compare towns
Peabody vs Wells vs Middleton
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 renters (34.4% rent).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Middleton has the highest household income ($167k).
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 | Wells | Middleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 54,695Highest |
11,713 |
9,816Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±2.4 16% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
43.1±2Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±3Lowest 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%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest 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±$4k 20% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$167,402±$29kHighest 107% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $596,200±$12k 79% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23kLowest 46% above U.S. |
$742,700±$48kHighest 123% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,950±$99Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$1,407±$284 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,065 62% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$8,785Highest 182% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±5.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.5%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wells and Middleton 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 | #22 of 133 in ME | #71 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Peabody | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Middleton |
| High school in town | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | Wells High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
11.4Highest |
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| 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.