What stands out worked out from the figures below

West Newbury has the most people working from home (24.5%).

Peabody has the most renters (34.4% rent).

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	West Newbury	Peabody
People
Population	4,591Lowest	54,695Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.3% MA: +7.4%	+6.3% MA: +7.4%
Median age	49.5±3Highest 24% above MA	45.3±2.4Lowest 13% above MA
	West Newbury and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.6%±3.9Highest MA: 19.4%	18.7%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4%
	West Newbury and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.3%±4.1Lowest MA: 17.9%	24.3%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9%
	Peabody and West Newbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	64.8%Highest MA: 47.3%	35%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.4%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9%
	Peabody and West Newbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$179,500±$27kHighest 73% above MA	$96,657±$4kLowest 7% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$808,200±$47kHighest 44% above MA	$596,200±$12kLowest 6% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,675±$674Lowest 5% below MA	$1,950±$99Highest 11% above MA
	Peabody and West Newbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,240Highest 54% above MA	$5,065Lowest 15% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	80.4%±100Highest MA: 51.8%	58.3%±5.9Lowest MA: 51.8%
	West Newbury and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	1.6%Lowest MA: 10%	7.7%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	95.8%Highest MA: 62.5%	65.6%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1983Highest 19 yrs newer than MA	1966Lowest 2 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 8% above MA	26 minLowest 11% below MA
Work from home	24.5%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6%	10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#86 of 282 in MA	#228 of 282 in MA
School district	Pentucket	Peabody
High school in town	Pentucket Regional Sr High	Peabody Veterans Memorial High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.6Highest	10.3Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.