The Future of Peabody: A Conversation with Mayor Bettencourt 

When home buyers begin their search for real estate that will give them “a little more bang for their buck,” they look for zip codes that allow for more space, an easy commute, and access to amenities. Peabody, Massachusetts fits that description accurately, according to an August 2021 study published in USA Today.

According to Realtor.com’s annual list of hottest zip codes in the country, released exclusively to USA Today, Peabody, Massachusetts ranked number three in their Top Ten Housing Market Survey with homes selling in 3 days or less.  

“Homes here are more affordable than Boston and the area has convenient access to vacation spots along New England’s rocky coastline. The median listing price is 11% lower than the Boston metro area, but 62% higher than the national median home price.”

In a recent North Shore Conversations radio broadcast on 104.9FM, we had an opportunity to chat with Peabody Mayor Ted Bettencourt about how popular the city has become in terms of the housing market as well as to find out more about the future of the city and where things stand right now with the impacts from covid.  (Image Source: Peabody Cultural Collaborative) 

Priorities for Peabody 

During our conversation with Mayor Bettencourt, we were able to pick his brain about what his priorities are as we head into 2022. 

He laid out several priorities moving forward including a positive start to the school year where students, teachers, and parents feel safe and welcomed after many difficult months. 

He also plans to delve into economic recovery for the city by bringing back jobs that were lost to the pandemic including losses in the city’s fire, police, and DPW areas. Economic recovery also includes taking care of the many businesses in the city that suffered some setbacks due to shutdowns, layoffs, and slow reopenings. 

Supporting the business community will involve helping many of downtown’s restaurants and stores reopen safely and stay open. He also plans to continue to offer support to the more than 18 restaurants that requested outdoor dining and community development payroll assistance requested by some businesses. 

Additionally, Mayor Bettencourt plans to continue to work on the city’s response and handling of storms such as hurricanes, rain storms, and flooding that impacts the city negatively. 

On a personal note, Mayor Bettencourt would like to see a permanent Children’s museum come to light in the downtown area. 

What’s Happening In Peabody? 

During our conversation we had a chance to find out some positive news of things happening in Peabody including sports accomplishments that are a source of pride for our community. 

Sports Triumphs 

He discussed that even in the midst of a pandemic, where it is easy to focus on all that is wrong, Peabody has several pieces of fun and exciting news. The West Peabody Little League team made it to the state championship games in the Williamsport Little League Tournament. The 7th & 8th grade Girls Lacrosse team won the State Championship. And finally, Heather MacLean, Peabody native, qualified for the Olympics in the 1500 meter race. The community celebrated her on September 4, 2021. 

Seismic Activity

Outside of the sports triumphs, Peabody has experienced some strange seismic activity including three small earthquakes as registered by the US Geological Survey and MEMA. The occurrences are rare and small, registering between 1.2 and 1.4 on the Richter Scale, but nonetheless concerning to many residents. The occurrences are a natural part of living in this area where there is an old fault line and where earthquake clusters are fairly normal. 

Mayor Bettencourt will be back to talk with us and is always open to conversations about the city he grew up in and loves. He ended our conversation by talking about how Peabody is a “great place to live, work, and raise a family.”