Compare towns
Danvers vs Dedham vs Freeport vs Ogunquit
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).
Dedham has the highest household income ($129k).
Freeport has the most affordable homes ($508k median).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Freeport | Ogunquit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098Highest |
25,237 |
8,802 |
1,379Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3 16% above U.S. |
44.6±1.6Lowest 15% above U.S. |
48.8±4.3 25% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Freeport 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% |
21.9%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dedham and Freeport 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. |
$128,955±$10kHighest 60% above U.S. |
$107,326±$19kLowest 33% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% 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. |
$661,800±$16k 99% above U.S. |
$508,400±$76kLowest 53% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$2,042±$182 45% above U.S. |
$1,439±$123Lowest 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 | $6,654 113% above U.S. |
$7,918Highest 154% above U.S. |
$5,042 62% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±10 U.S.: 51.1% |
62%±18.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Freeport 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% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.2%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #91 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA | #4 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Dedham | RSU 05 | — |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Dedham High | Freeport High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
10.4Lowest |
12.2 |
— |
| 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.