Compare towns
Acton vs Danvers vs Dedham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Acton has the most people working from home (35.9%).
Danvers has the most renters (30.8% rent).
Dedham has the oldest housing (typical home built 1956).
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.
| Measure | Acton | Danvers | Dedham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,155Lowest |
28,098Highest |
25,237 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±0.8Lowest 11% above MA |
45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
| Danvers and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2 MA: 17.9% |
| Danvers and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 79.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
48.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
55% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $158,230±$14kHighest 52% above MA |
$125,395±$10kLowest 21% above MA |
$128,955±$10k 24% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $807,300±$20kHighest 44% above MA |
$644,200±$23kLowest 15% above MA |
$661,800±$16k 18% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,986±$155Lowest 13% above MA |
$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$2,042±$182 16% above MA |
| Danvers and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,654Lowest 11% above MA |
$7,918 32% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.7%±11.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Dedham and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
5.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 19% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 35.9%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #13 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Acton-Boxborough | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Dedham |
| High school in town | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Dedham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
12.8 |
10.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.