Compare towns
Danvers vs Dedham vs Peabody vs Stoughton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dedham has the most people working from home (20%).
Peabody has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Stoughton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.6%).
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 | Peabody | Stoughton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098 |
25,237Lowest |
54,695Highest |
29,225 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
+8.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3 13% above MA |
44.6±1.6Lowest 12% above MA |
45.3±2.4 13% above MA |
45.7±1.9Highest 14% above MA |
| Stoughton and Danvers 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% |
18.7%±1.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.5%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
| 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 MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2 MA: 17.9% |
24.3%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.8%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Peabody and Danvers 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
41.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
6.1%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Stoughton and Dedham 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 21% above MA |
$128,955±$10kHighest 24% above MA |
$96,657±$4kLowest 7% below MA |
$104,794±$6k about the MA average |
| 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 15% above MA |
$661,800±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
$596,200±$12k 6% above MA |
$523,800±$28kLowest 7% below MA |
| 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 18% above MA |
$2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$1,950±$99Lowest 11% above MA |
$2,050±$200 16% above MA |
| Danvers and Stoughton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,654 11% above MA |
$7,918Highest 32% above MA |
$5,065Lowest 15% below MA |
$6,215 4% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
58.3%±5.9 MA: 51.8% |
68.4%±7.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Stoughton and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.6% MA: 10% |
7.7% MA: 10% |
8.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2% MA: 62.5% |
73.4% MA: 62.5% |
65.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
74.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 1 yr older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1969Highest 5 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
29 min about the MA average |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
33 minHighest 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
15.4%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | #119 of 282 in MA | #228 of 282 in MA | #196 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Dedham | Peabody | Stoughton |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Dedham High | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | Stoughton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
10.4 |
10.3Lowest |
10.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.