Compare towns
Danvers vs Dedham vs North Reading vs Middleton
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 most renters (30.8% rent).
Dedham has the oldest housing (typical home built 1956).
North Reading has the most people working from home (26.1%).
Middleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
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 | North Reading | Middleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098Highest |
25,237 |
15,765 |
9,816Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
43±2.8Lowest 8% above MA |
43.1±2 8% 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% |
18.6%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| North Reading and Dedham 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% |
21.9%±2 MA: 17.9% |
16.7%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±2.9 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% |
55% MA: 47.3% |
56.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and North Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $125,395±$10kLowest 21% above MA |
$128,955±$10k 24% above MA |
$147,768±$25k 42% above MA |
$167,402±$29kHighest 61% above MA |
| Middleton and North Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23kLowest 15% above MA |
$661,800±$16k 18% above MA |
$710,500±$24k 26% above MA |
$742,700±$48kHighest 32% above MA |
| Middleton and North Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192 18% above MA |
$2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$2,259±$356Highest 28% above MA |
$1,407±$284Lowest 20% below MA |
| North Reading and Danvers 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 |
$7,918 32% above MA |
$9,693Highest 62% above MA |
$8,785 47% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
75.5%±25.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| North Reading and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% MA: 10% |
5.6%Highest MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.4% MA: 62.5% |
84.3% MA: 62.5% |
92.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 1 yr older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest about the MA average |
29 min about the MA average |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
30 min 3% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
26.1%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| North Reading 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 | #119 of 282 in MA | #33 of 282 in MA | #71 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Dedham | North Reading | Middleton |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Dedham High | North Reading High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
10.4 |
10.1Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.