Compare towns
Danvers vs Dedham vs Nelson vs Stoddard
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).
Nelson has the most people working from home (31.5%).
Stoddard has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.5%).
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 | Nelson | Stoddard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098Highest |
25,237 |
648Lowest |
1,072 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-13.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3 16% above U.S. |
44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
42.3±11.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
53±4Highest 36% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±6.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.8%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Nelson and Stoddard 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% |
55% U.S.: 35.7% |
61.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dedham and Danvers 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. |
$99,792±$23k 24% above U.S. |
$94,904±$11kLowest 18% 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±$16kHighest 99% above U.S. |
$340,900±$49k about the U.S. average |
$330,300±$20kLowest about the U.S. average |
| 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. |
$2,042±$182 45% above U.S. |
$1,203±$243 15% below U.S. |
$895±$751Lowest 37% below 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. |
$7,918Highest 154% above U.S. |
$5,575 79% above U.S. |
$4,316Lowest 38% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±68.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dedham and Stoddard 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
31.5%±8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #91 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Dedham | Nelson School District | Stoddard School District |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Dedham High | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
10.4Lowest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.