Peabody is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2000 census, the population was 48,129.

Peabody is located in Boston's North Shore suburban area. First known as the Northfields, "the Farms", and Brooksby, the area was settled about 1626 within Salem, which had itself been founded in 1626 and incorporated in 1629. In 1752,the area was set off from Salem and incorporated as part of Danvers, and then usually referred to as "the South Parish", which was associated with the church located in the center (now Peabody Square). In 1855, the community broke away from Danvers to become the town of South Danvers, incorporated that May 18. The name was changed on April 30, 1868 to Peabody after George Peabody, a noted philanthropist. It would be incorporated as a city in 1916.