Compare towns
Danvers vs Standish vs Windham vs Dedham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Danvers has the most renters (30.8% rent).
Standish has the most affordable homes ($336k median).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Dedham has the most people working from home (20%).
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 | Standish | Windham | Dedham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098Highest |
10,662Lowest |
19,188 |
25,237 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Highest 16% above U.S. |
40.5±2.8Lowest 4% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8 7% above U.S. |
44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
| 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%±2 U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Windham 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.2%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
36%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
55%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
11.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $125,395±$10k 55% above U.S. |
$104,593±$15kLowest 30% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14k 34% above U.S. |
$128,955±$10kHighest 60% 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. |
$336,000±$18kLowest about the U.S. average |
$388,900±$22k 17% above U.S. |
$661,800±$16kHighest 99% 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. |
$983±$453Lowest 30% below U.S. |
$1,232±$332 13% below U.S. |
$2,042±$182 45% 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. |
$3,005Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$3,938 26% above U.S. |
$7,918Highest 154% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.4%±22.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±10 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Standish and Dedham 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% |
7.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.6%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±2.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #18 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME | #119 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | RSU 14 | Dedham |
| High school in town | — | Bonny Eagle High School | Windham High School | Dedham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5Highest |
12.1 |
10.4Lowest |
| 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.



