Compare towns
Danvers vs Bow vs Dedham vs Middleton
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).
Bow has the most kids (25% under 18).
Dedham has the oldest housing (typical home built 1956).
Middleton has the most expensive homes ($743k median).
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 | Bow | Dedham | Middleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098Highest |
8,335Lowest |
25,237 |
9,816 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Highest 16% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
43.1±2 11% 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%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±2.9 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% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
55% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $125,395±$10kLowest 55% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$128,955±$10k 60% above U.S. |
$167,402±$29k 107% above U.S. |
| Bow and Middleton 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. |
$506,500±$34kLowest 52% above U.S. |
$661,800±$16k 99% above U.S. |
$742,700±$48kHighest 123% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$2,042±$182 45% above U.S. |
$1,407±$284Lowest about the U.S. 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 113% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$7,918 154% above U.S. |
$8,785 182% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.5%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | #119 of 282 in MA | #71 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Bow School District | Dedham | Middleton |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Bow High School | Dedham High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
12.8Highest |
10.4Lowest |
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| 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.