Compare towns
Peabody vs Westminster vs Saugus
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 most renters (34.4% rent).
Westminster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.9%).
Saugus has the most people working from home (14.3%).
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 | Westminster | Saugus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 54,695Highest |
8,374Lowest |
28,773 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+12.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±2.4 13% above MA |
48.3±4.6Highest 21% above MA |
44.5±2.5Lowest 11% above MA |
| Westminster and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Westminster 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 MA: 17.9% |
26%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
22%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Westminster 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% |
45.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
31.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
1.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Saugus 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±$4kLowest 7% below MA |
$106,331±$22kHighest about the MA average |
$101,539±$3k about the MA average |
| Westminster and Saugus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $596,200±$12k 6% above MA |
$422,000±$36kLowest 25% below MA |
$603,400±$13kHighest 7% above MA |
| Saugus and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,950±$99 11% above MA |
$1,843±$268Lowest 5% above MA |
$2,241±$201Highest 27% above MA |
| Saugus 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 |
$4,973Lowest 17% below MA |
$6,049Highest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±5.9 MA: 51.8% |
60%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
53%±9.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Westminster 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% |
2.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
27 min 7% below MA |
30 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±4.2 MA: 18.6% |
14.3%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Saugus and Westminster 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 | #112 of 282 in MA | #194 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Peabody | Ashburnham-Westminster | Saugus |
| High school in town | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | Oakmont Regional High School | Saugus High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
13.6 |
15.5Highest |
| 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.