Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Peabody grades C+ overall, 221st of 282 graded towns in Massachusetts, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. The median household earns $97K and CDC estimates put its residents' health ahead of 76% of the country. On the other side, the typical home is worth about $691K, 6 years of the Boston metro’s $116K median household income. Its National Register listings include Peabody Institute Library and George Peabody House. Peabody’s trail density is 1.3 miles per square mile, where Massachusetts’ towns sit at 1.8 and U.S. towns at 0.4. Peabody is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 82% of U.S. towns.
Where Peabody beats most towns.
Its founding year, 1626, comes before those of 96% of the Massachusetts towns we grade with a known year.
Census counts: 6,549 in 1860, 54,481 in 2020. The archive holds 16 old photos and papers going back to 1853 and 7 maps from 1888 on.
17 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Massachusetts), ordered by how far Peabody is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Peabody. Close and well known come first.
Big draw15 mi Stadium & arenaFenway Park
Big draw34 mi Stadium & arenaGillette Stadium
Big draw15 mi MuseumIsabella Stewart Gardner Museum
13 mi AttractionFreedom Trail
12 mi MuseumBunker Hill Monument
20 mi LakeWalden PondFenway Park: Gatorfan252525, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Gillette Stadium: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum: Sean Dungan, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Freedom Trail: Ingfbruno, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Bunker Hill Monument: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Walden Pond: Victorgrigas, CC BY-SA 3.0
Who provides power, water and the rest in Peabody, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Peabody.
Peabody is healthy by national standards but behind most towns in Massachusetts; it also has a long record of flood insurance claims.
Its public schools are run by the Peabody school district. Two of its 14 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| J Henry Higgins MiddleLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 1,320 | C |
| Peabody Veterans Memorial HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 1,333 | B+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MA on state tests and graduation
Within Massachusetts it is less healthy than 73% of the 279 graded towns: Massachusetts sets a high bar.
15% of adults binge drink in Peabody, below both Massachusetts’ towns (17%) and U.S. towns (16%). Peabody beats the Massachusetts average on 2 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 6. 29% of adults have obesity in Peabody.
| Peabody | Massachusetts towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 17% | 16% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 28% | 35% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 19% | 25% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 16% | 17% |
| What stands out | Peabody | MA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults seeing a dentist | 73.1% | 69.8% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 78.3% | 75.4% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.7% | 8.5% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
306 flood insurance claims have been filed here, and 46 properties have flooded more than once.
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 78% of U.S. communities. Since 1978, 306 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Peabody.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
21 miles of trail in 34 parks and preserves. Brooksby Farm, at 227 acres with 4.3 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Brooksby Farm | 4.3 mi | 227 |
| 2. Spring Pond Water Department Land | 1 mi | 89 |
| 3. Sydneys Pond Conservation Area | 0.3 mi | 31 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Peabody has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain. Peabody’s July high is 82°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Most working residents leave Peabody for work: only 13% work in town. 10% of Peabody workers work from home. Jobs based in Peabody grew to 21,422 in 2023, 1,117 more than in 2013.
| Peabody | Massachusetts towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work from home | 10% | 18% | 11% |
| Median household income | $97,000 | $120,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 26 minutes | 30 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 13% | 9.8% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The median rent in Peabody is $1,950 a month. The typical Peabody home is worth about $691,000, up 1.1% in a year, 6% above the Massachusetts typical home.
| Peabody | Massachusetts towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,950 a month | $1,682 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 66% | 79% | 73% |
| Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent | 58% | 52% | 48% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Massachusetts has less reported crime than most states, so among its own towns Peabody sits closer to the middle.
| Peabody | Massachusetts towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 2.9 per 1,000 residents | 1.4 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 6.2 per 1,000 residents | 4.9 | 9.9 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
30 within 15 miles of the center of Peabody
About 4 of every 100 Peabody residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across Massachusetts.
17 places in Peabody on the National Register of Historic Places.
City in Massachusetts, United States
Peabody () is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 54,481 at the time of the 2020 United States census. Peabody is located in the North Shore region of Massachusetts, and is known for its rich industrial history.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
5 towns share a border with Peabody.
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Peabody grades C+ overall, better than 41% of U.S. towns and #221 of 282 in Massachusetts. It grades A− for health, B− for safety and C− for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D.
Yes, by national standards. Massachusetts has less crime than most states, so among its own towns Peabody sits nearer the middle.
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D.
