Peabody vs Topsfield
You are paying about $265k more for a 4BR in Topsfield, and in exchange you get the stronger schools. That is the trade in plain terms: $265k for one tier of schooling.
Peabody is about 7 minutes closer to downtown Boston at peak. Over a decade of commuting that gap is worth more than most people price it at.
On tax, look past the rate: Peabody works out roughly $8,000 a year cheaper on its own median 4BR.
Choose Peabody if you want the lower price, or the commute matters most.
All Peabody numbers →Choose Topsfield if you want the stronger schools of the two.
All Topsfield numbers →Side by side
The better of the two is highlighted on each row. Where a row is not highlighted, the two are close enough that calling a winner would be false precision.
| Peabody | Topsfield | |
|---|---|---|
| School tier | solid schoolsT3 | strong schoolsT2 |
| MCAS percentile | 26th | 77th |
| Niche district rank | — | 43rd of 236 |
| 4BR house | $735kT2 | $1MT3 |
| 2BR condo | $425k | $555k |
| Commute to Boston | 45 minT2 | 52 minT3 |
| MBTA rail | No MBTA rail | No MBTA rail |
| Tax rate | $9.47T1 | $15.00T4 |
| Est. tax bill on that 4BR | ≈$7,000 | ≈$15,000 |
| 3BR rent | $3,130/mo | $3,080/mo |
Prices are estimates calibrated to the Zillow Home Value Index and Redfin; tax rates are FY2026 residential rates and the bill applies that rate to the town’s own median 4BR estimate; commutes take the rail leg from the MBTA timetable and still model the drive; rents are HUD FY2026 Small Area Fair Market Rents. School tiers are editorial and shown next to the state’s own MCAS figures. Data last reviewed — see the methodology. This comparison never uses demographics as an input.
