Compare towns
Danvers vs Dover vs Needham 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 most affordable homes ($644k median).
Dover has the most homeowners (97.9%).
Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Wakefield has the youngest population (median age 42.4).
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 | Dover | Needham | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098 |
5,930Lowest |
32,459Highest |
27,793 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
44.9±2.3 12% above MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
| Danvers and Dover 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% |
26%±5.2 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Needham and Dover 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% |
16.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Danvers and Wakefield 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% |
84.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
81.9% MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.2%±2.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
| Dover and Needham 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 |
$250,001Highest 140% above MA |
$214,308±$13k 106% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23kLowest 15% above MA |
$1,340,300±$117kHighest 138% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43k 111% above MA |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
| Dover and Needham 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 |
$2,917±$2kHighest 66% above MA |
$2,409±$183 37% above MA |
$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
| Dover and Needham 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
20%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Needham and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
4.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
97.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
70.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 1 yr older than MA |
1970Highest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
34.2%±6.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Dover and Needham 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 | #1 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Dover · Dover-Sherborn | Needham | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Dover-Sherborn Regional High | Needham High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
9.8Lowest |
11.9 |
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.