Compare towns
Danvers vs Amesbury vs Stow vs Dedham
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).
Amesbury has the most affordable homes ($519k median).
Stow has the most people working from home (36.6%).
Dedham has the oldest housing (typical home built 1956).
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 | Amesbury | Stow | Dedham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098Highest |
17,403 |
7,165Lowest |
25,237 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
— | +8.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
43.7±1.7Lowest 9% above MA |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
44.6±1.6 12% 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% |
20%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Stow and Amesbury 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% |
18.2%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2 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% |
44.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
75.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
55% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Amesbury 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 |
$103,554±$12kLowest about the MA average |
$185,809±$22kHighest 79% above MA |
$128,955±$10k 24% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23k 15% above MA |
$519,300±$32kLowest 8% below MA |
$729,600±$39kHighest 30% above MA |
$661,800±$16k 18% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,683±$115Lowest 4% below MA |
$1,782±$126 about the MA average |
$2,042±$182 16% 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 |
$7,360 23% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$7,918 32% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2 MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
| Amesbury and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
5.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2% MA: 62.5% |
68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 1 yr older than MA |
1969 5 yrs newer than MA |
1974Highest 10 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 |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #91 of 282 in MA | #151 of 282 in MA | #44 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Amesbury | Nashoba | Dedham |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Amesbury High | None in town | Dedham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
10.9 |
— | 10.4Lowest |
| 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.