Compare towns
Peabody vs Woonsocket vs Saugus
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).
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 | Woonsocket | Saugus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 54,695Highest |
43,521 |
28,773Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±2.4Highest 16% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
44.5±2.5 14% above U.S. |
| Peabody and Saugus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 24.3%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Peabody and Saugus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Saugus and Woonsocket 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. |
$101,539±$3kHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Saugus and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $596,200±$12k 79% above U.S. |
$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$603,400±$13kHighest 81% above U.S. |
| 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 38% above U.S. |
$1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$2,241±$201Highest 59% above U.S. |
| 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 62% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$6,049Highest 94% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±5.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Peabody and Saugus 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% |
6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Highest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.3%±1.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Saugus and Peabody 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 | #194 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Peabody | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Saugus |
| High school in town | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | Woonsocket High School | Saugus High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
15.2 |
15.5Highest |
| 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.