Compare towns
Bow vs Danvers vs Dedham vs Brookline
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bow has the most affordable homes ($507k median).
Danvers has the most renters (30.8% rent).
Dedham has the most expensive homes ($662k median).
Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
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 | Bow | Danvers | Dedham | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
28,098Highest |
25,237 |
5,736Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
45.3±3Highest 16% above U.S. |
44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
41.2±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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+ | 60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55% U.S.: 35.7% |
57.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookline and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$125,395±$10kLowest 55% above U.S. |
$128,955±$10k 60% above U.S. |
$171,046±$4k 112% above U.S. |
| Bow and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kLowest 52% above U.S. |
$644,200±$23k 94% above U.S. |
$661,800±$16kHighest 99% above U.S. |
$544,400±$38k 64% above U.S. |
| Dedham and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$2,076±$192 47% above U.S. |
$2,042±$182 45% above U.S. |
$2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 207% above U.S. |
$6,654Lowest 113% above U.S. |
$7,918 154% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dedham and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline and Bow 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | #91 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA | #23 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Dedham | Brookline School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Dedham High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
12.8Highest |
10.4Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.