Compare towns
Danvers vs Andover vs Dedham vs Peabody
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Andover has the most people working from home (29.6%).
Dedham has the highest household income ($129k).
Peabody has the most renters (34.4% rent).
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 | Danvers | Andover | Dedham | Peabody |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098 |
616Lowest |
25,237 |
54,695Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3 16% above U.S. |
49.2±5.1Highest 26% above U.S. |
44.6±1.6Lowest 15% above U.S. |
45.3±2.4 16% above U.S. |
| Andover and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
11.5%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Peabody and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Peabody and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
55%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dedham and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $125,395±$10k 55% above U.S. |
$102,500±$38k 27% above U.S. |
$128,955±$10kHighest 60% above U.S. |
$96,657±$4kLowest 20% above U.S. |
| Dedham and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23k 94% above U.S. |
$382,900±$68kLowest 15% above U.S. |
$661,800±$16kHighest 99% above U.S. |
$596,200±$12k 79% 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 | $2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,389±$364Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,042±$182 45% above U.S. |
$1,950±$99 38% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,654 113% above U.S. |
$5,190 66% above U.S. |
$7,918Highest 154% above U.S. |
$5,065Lowest 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
69.4%±47.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±10 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.3%±5.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Andover and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
29.6%±12.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Andover and Dedham 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 | #91 of 282 in MA | — | #119 of 282 in MA | #228 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | — | Dedham | Peabody |
| High school in town | — | — | Dedham High | Peabody Veterans Memorial High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.4Highest |
10.3Lowest |
| 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.