Compare towns
Dalton vs Danvers vs Dedham vs Salisbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dalton has the most affordable homes ($296k median).
Danvers has the most renters (30.8% rent).
Dedham has the most homeowners (73.4%).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.5%).
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 | Dalton | Danvers | Dedham | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,256Lowest |
28,098Highest |
25,237 |
9,281 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+2.6% MA: +7.4% |
+11.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.7±5.8 24% above MA |
45.3±3 13% above MA |
44.6±1.6Lowest 12% above MA |
51.3±3.5Highest 28% above MA |
| Salisbury and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±4.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2 MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Dalton and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.9%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
25.5%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Dalton and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.3% MA: 47.3% |
48.4% MA: 47.3% |
55%Highest MA: 47.3% |
43.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $79,438±$8kLowest 24% below MA |
$125,395±$10k 21% above MA |
$128,955±$10kHighest 24% above MA |
$93,361±$6k 10% below 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 | $295,700±$26kLowest 47% below MA |
$644,200±$23k 15% above MA |
$661,800±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
$478,700±$27k 15% 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 | $872±$70Lowest 51% below MA |
$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$1,691±$411 4% 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 | $4,276Lowest 29% below MA |
$6,654 11% above MA |
$7,918Highest 32% above MA |
$4,604 23% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±19Lowest MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
61.9%±11.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Salisbury and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.4%Highest MA: 10% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.6% MA: 10% |
5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7% MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957 7 yrs older than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 24% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 12.5%±7.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Dedham and Salisbury 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 | #192 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA | #240 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Central Berkshire | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Dedham | Triton |
| High school in town | Wahconah Regional High | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Dedham High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9 |
12.8Highest |
10.4Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.