Compare towns
Danvers vs Dedham vs Middleton vs Wakefield
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 shortest commute (28 min average).
Middleton has the most homeowners (92.7%).
Wakefield has the most people working from home (24.6%).
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 | Middleton | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098Highest |
25,237 |
9,816Lowest |
27,793 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
43.1±2 8% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% 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% |
17.2%±3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Wakefield 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% |
18.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 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% MA: 47.3% |
41.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Wakefield 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 |
$167,402±$29kHighest 61% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
| Middleton and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23kLowest 15% above MA |
$661,800±$16k 18% above MA |
$742,700±$48kHighest 32% above MA |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
| Middleton and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$1,407±$284Lowest 20% below MA |
$1,958±$102 11% 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 | $6,654Lowest 11% above MA |
$7,918 32% above MA |
$8,785Highest 47% above MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 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% |
3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.4% MA: 62.5% |
92.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 1 yr older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest about the MA average |
29 min about the MA average |
30 min 3% above MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Wakefield 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 | #71 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Dedham | Middleton | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | — | Dedham High | None in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4Lowest |
— | 10.7Highest |
| 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.