Compare towns
Auburn vs Danvers vs Dedham vs Raynham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Auburn has the most affordable homes ($400k median).
Danvers has the most renters (30.8% rent).
Dedham has the most people working from home (20%).
Raynham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.1%).
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 | Auburn | Danvers | Dedham | Raynham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,970 |
28,098Highest |
25,237 |
15,505Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3% MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+13.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.8±1.6 12% above MA |
45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
42.9±1.5Lowest 7% above MA |
| Danvers and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
20.4%±2.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Auburn and Raynham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.9%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2 MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±2.3Lowest 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+ | 45.4% MA: 47.3% |
48.4% MA: 47.3% |
55%Highest MA: 47.3% |
39.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $116,711±$10kLowest 12% above MA |
$125,395±$10k 21% above MA |
$128,955±$10kHighest 24% above MA |
$124,012±$16k 19% above MA |
| Dedham and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $400,000±$16kLowest 29% below MA |
$644,200±$23k 15% above MA |
$661,800±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
$524,400±$29k 7% below MA |
| Dedham and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,467±$155Lowest 17% below MA |
$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$1,749±$74 about the MA average |
| Danvers and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,289Lowest 12% below MA |
$6,654 11% above MA |
$7,918Highest 32% above MA |
$6,752 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±10.5 MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
67.1%±13.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Raynham and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.2% MA: 10% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.6% MA: 10% |
7.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.4% MA: 62.5% |
78.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 1 yr older than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 12% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
29 min about the MA average |
36 minHighest 25% above MA |
| Work from home | 14.1%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.8%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Dedham and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #106 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA | #190 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Auburn | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Dedham | Bridgewater-Raynham |
| High school in town | Auburn Senior High | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Dedham High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
12.8Highest |
10.4Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.