Compare towns
Danvers vs Dedham vs Dighton vs Middleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Danvers has the most renters (30.8% rent).
Dedham has the most people working from home (20%).
Dighton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.3%).
Middleton has the highest household income ($167k).
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 | Dedham | Dighton | Middleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098Highest |
25,237 |
8,193Lowest |
9,816 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+14.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
42.7±2.9Lowest 7% above MA |
43.1±2 8% 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 | 17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
21%±4Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Dighton and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2 MA: 17.9% |
17.5%±3.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±2.9 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+ | 48.4% MA: 47.3% |
55%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
41.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±2 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Dighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $125,395±$10kLowest 21% above MA |
$128,955±$10k 24% above MA |
$136,646±$19k 31% above MA |
$167,402±$29kHighest 61% above MA |
| Middleton and Dighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23k 15% above MA |
$661,800±$16k 18% above MA |
$501,900±$47kLowest 11% below MA |
$742,700±$48kHighest 32% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$1,405±$192Lowest 20% below MA |
$1,407±$284 20% 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 | $6,654 11% above MA |
$7,918 32% above MA |
$6,452Lowest 8% above MA |
$8,785Highest 47% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
11.8%±16.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
25.7%±25.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Dedham and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% MA: 10% |
5.6%Highest MA: 10% |
2.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.4% MA: 62.5% |
90.1% MA: 62.5% |
92.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 1 yr older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest about the MA average |
29 min about the MA average |
31 minHighest 6% above MA |
30 min 3% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
11%±3.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±3.4 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 | #91 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA | #85 of 282 in MA | #71 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Dedham | Bristol County Agricultural · Dighton-Rehoboth | Middleton |
| High school in town | — | Dedham High | Bristol County Agricultural High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4Lowest |
11.9Highest |
— |
| 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.