Compare towns
Danvers vs Cavendish vs Peabody 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
Cavendish has the most affordable homes ($285k median).
Peabody has the most renters (34.4% rent).
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 | Cavendish | Peabody | Dedham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098 |
1,242Lowest |
54,695Highest |
25,237 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Highest 16% above U.S. |
45.2±5.9 16% above U.S. |
45.3±2.4Highest 16% above U.S. |
44.6±1.6Lowest 15% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Peabody 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.6%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Peabody and Cavendish 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% |
39.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dedham and Peabody 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 55% above U.S. |
$89,063±$29kLowest 10% above U.S. |
$96,657±$4k 20% 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. |
$285,100±$40kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$596,200±$12k 79% 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. |
$1,000±$546Lowest 29% below U.S. |
$1,950±$99 38% above 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. |
$3,948Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$5,065 62% above U.S. |
$7,918Highest 154% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
28.9%±27Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.3%±5.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±10 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Peabody and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Highest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.5%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest 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 | — | #228 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Peabody | Dedham |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | None in town | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | Dedham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 10.3Lowest |
10.4 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 18 photos → | 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.