Compare towns
Danvers vs Dedham vs Stratham vs Middleton
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1956).
Stratham has the most people working from home (25.3%).
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 | Stratham | Middleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098Highest |
25,237 |
7,754Lowest |
9,816 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Highest 16% above U.S. |
44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
41.6±4.9Lowest 7% above U.S. |
43.1±2 11% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Stratham 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
55% U.S.: 35.7% |
69.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest 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±$10kLowest 55% above U.S. |
$128,955±$10k 60% above U.S. |
$151,998±$20k 88% above U.S. |
$167,402±$29kHighest 107% above U.S. |
| Middleton and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23kLowest 94% above U.S. |
$661,800±$16k 99% above U.S. |
$655,400±$36k 97% above U.S. |
$742,700±$48kHighest 123% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192 47% above U.S. |
$2,042±$182 45% above U.S. |
$2,511±$377Highest 78% above U.S. |
$1,407±$284Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Stratham and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,654Lowest 113% above U.S. |
$7,918 154% above U.S. |
$9,781Highest 214% above U.S. |
$8,785 182% 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% |
64%±38.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stratham 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.3%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.5%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Stratham 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 | #43 of 120 in NH | #71 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Dedham | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District | Middleton |
| 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 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.