Compare towns
Danvers vs Dedham vs Rowley vs Mansfield
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 highest household income ($129k).
Rowley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.6%).
Mansfield has the most kids (22.4% under 18).
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 | Rowley | Mansfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098Highest |
25,237 |
1,708Lowest |
23,931 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3 13% above MA |
44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
46.3±16.7Highest 16% above MA |
41.4±1.3Lowest 4% above MA |
| Rowley and Danvers 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% |
18.3%±6.9 MA: 19.4% |
22.4%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Mansfield 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 MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2 MA: 17.9% |
23.3%±4.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Rowley and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
55% MA: 47.3% |
57.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
51.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
7.4%±5.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.5%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Rowley and Dedham 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 21% above MA |
$128,955±$10kHighest 24% above MA |
$109,622±$17kLowest 5% above MA |
$125,273±$15k 21% above 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 | $644,200±$23k 15% above MA |
$661,800±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
$614,800±$39k 9% above MA |
$603,500±$28kLowest 7% above MA |
| 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 18% above MA |
$2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$1,663±$674Lowest 6% below MA |
$1,803±$147 about the MA average |
| 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 |
$7,918Highest 32% above MA |
$6,865 15% above MA |
$7,226 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
46.3%±45.1 MA: 51.8% |
38.2%±8.5Lowest 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% MA: 10% |
6.1%Highest MA: 10% |
4.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.4% MA: 62.5% |
78.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 1 yr older than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
29 min about the MA average |
25 minLowest 15% below MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.9%±5.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #91 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA | #214 of 282 in MA | #60 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Dedham | — | Mansfield |
| High school in town | — | Dedham High | — | Mansfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4Lowest |
— | 11.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.