Compare towns
Danvers vs Dedham vs Sutton vs Wakefield
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 shortest commute (28 min average).
Sutton has the most homeowners (89.7%).
Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
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 | Sutton | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098Highest |
25,237 |
9,452Lowest |
27,793 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% 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% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Wakefield and Sutton 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% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
55% MA: 47.3% |
52.8% MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Wakefield 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 |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
| Sutton and Wakefield 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±$16k 18% above MA |
$523,100±$47kLowest 7% below MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
| Danvers and Dedham 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 |
$7,918Highest 32% above MA |
$6,763 13% above MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Dedham and Danvers 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% |
5.8%Highest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.4% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 1 yr older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest about the MA average |
29 min about the MA average |
30 min about the MA average |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Wakefield and Sutton 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 | #105 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Dedham | Sutton | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Dedham High | Sutton High School | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
10.4Lowest |
12.6 |
10.7 |
| 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.