Compare towns
Bellingham 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
Bellingham has the most affordable homes ($451k median).
Danvers has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
Dedham has the most people working from home (20%).
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 | Bellingham | Danvers | Dedham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,410Lowest |
28,098Highest |
25,237 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.2±1.5Lowest 4% below 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 | 22.1%±3.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Bellingham and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.9%±2.2Lowest 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+ | 40.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
48.4% MA: 47.3% |
55%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $125,307±$10kLowest 21% above MA |
$125,395±$10k 21% above MA |
$128,955±$10kHighest 24% 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 | $450,700±$13kLowest 20% below MA |
$644,200±$23k 15% above MA |
$661,800±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
| Dedham and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,836±$196Lowest 4% 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 | $5,030Lowest 16% below MA |
$6,654 11% above MA |
$7,918Highest 32% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±16.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
| Bellingham and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.7%Highest MA: 10% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 24% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 18.3%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7Highest 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 | #232 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bellingham | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Dedham |
| High school in town | Bellingham High School | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Dedham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.4 |
12.8Highest |
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.