What stands out worked out from the figures below

Peabody has the most expensive homes ($596k median).

Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).

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	Worcester
People
Population	54,695Lowest	207,055Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	45.3±2.4Highest 13% above MA	33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA
Kids under 18	18.7%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4%	19.6%±0.8Highest MA: 19.4%
	Worcester and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	24.3%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9%	13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35%Lowest MA: 47.3%	35.2%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.4%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9%	14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$96,657±$4kHighest 7% below MA	$70,102±$2kLowest 33% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$596,200±$12kHighest 6% above MA	$374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,950±$99Highest 11% above MA	$1,487±$38Lowest 16% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,065Highest 15% below MA	$4,733Lowest 21% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	58.3%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8%	54.2%±2.9Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Peabody and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.7%Lowest MA: 10%	19.6%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	65.6%Highest MA: 62.5%	42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA	1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minHighest 11% below MA	24 minLowest 17% below MA
Work from home	10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6%	11.5%±1Highest MA: 18.6%
	Worcester 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	#266 of 282 in MA
School district	Peabody	Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester
High school in town	Peabody Veterans Memorial High	South High Community
Students per teacherat that high school	10.3Lowest	14.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.