Compare towns
Peabody vs Woonsocket vs Danvers 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 shortest commute (26 min average).
Woonsocket has the most affordable homes ($311k median).
Danvers has the most people working from home (19.3%).
Middleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
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 | Woonsocket | Danvers | Middleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 54,695Highest |
43,521 |
28,098 |
9,816Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±2.4Highest 16% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
45.3±3Highest 16% above U.S. |
43.1±2 11% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 24.3%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Woonsocket 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. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$125,395±$10k 55% above U.S. |
$167,402±$29kHighest 107% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $596,200±$12k 79% above U.S. |
$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$644,200±$23k 94% above U.S. |
$742,700±$48kHighest 123% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,950±$99 38% above U.S. |
$1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,407±$284 about the U.S. average |
| 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 62% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$6,654 113% above U.S. |
$8,785Highest 182% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±5.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.3%±1.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.5%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Danvers 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 | #37 of 38 in RI | #91 of 282 in MA | #71 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Peabody | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | — | Middleton |
| High school in town | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | Woonsocket High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
15.2Highest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.