Compare towns
Belchertown vs Danvers vs Dedham vs Pelham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Belchertown has the most affordable homes ($371k median).
Danvers has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
Dedham has the highest household income ($129k).
Pelham has the most people working from home (32.8%).
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 | Belchertown | Danvers | Dedham | Pelham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,393 |
28,098Highest |
25,237 |
1,335Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6% MA: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.9±1.6Lowest 10% above MA |
45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
45±8.4 13% above MA |
| Danvers and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
21%±4.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Pelham and Belchertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21%±2.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2 MA: 17.9% |
26.7%±6.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Pelham and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
48.4% MA: 47.3% |
55% MA: 47.3% |
64.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.7%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
2%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Belchertown and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $108,068±$15kLowest 4% above MA |
$125,395±$10k 21% above MA |
$128,955±$10kHighest 24% above MA |
$113,750±$24k 9% 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 | $371,300±$12kLowest 34% below MA |
$644,200±$23k 15% above MA |
$661,800±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
$447,600±$33k 20% 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 | $1,292±$230 27% below MA |
$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$1,205±$560Lowest 32% below MA |
| Danvers and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,810Lowest 3% below MA |
$6,654 11% above MA |
$7,918Highest 32% above MA |
$7,472 25% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.4%±21.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
42.7%±35.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Belchertown and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.5% MA: 10% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.6% MA: 10% |
10.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.4% MA: 62.5% |
79.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
28 min about the MA average |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
| Work from home | 14%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
32.8%±7.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #168 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Belchertown | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Dedham | Pelham |
| High school in town | Belchertown High | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Dedham High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9 |
12.8Highest |
10.4Lowest |
— |
| 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.