Compare towns
Danvers vs Gray vs Topsham vs Dedham
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).
Gray has the most homeowners (82.4%).
Topsham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
Dedham has the most people working from home (20%).
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 | Gray | Topsham | Dedham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098Highest |
8,429Lowest |
9,706 |
25,237 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Highest 16% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
44.7±4 15% above U.S. |
44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Topsham 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% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Topsham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Topsham 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50% U.S.: 35.7% |
55%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dedham and Gray 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 55% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$91,028±$10kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$128,955±$10kHighest 60% above U.S. |
| 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 94% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$360,800±$20kLowest 8% above U.S. |
$661,800±$16kHighest 99% above U.S. |
| 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 47% above U.S. |
$1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,355±$642Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$2,042±$182 45% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,654 113% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,259 37% above U.S. |
$7,918Highest 154% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±2.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | #66 of 133 in ME | #119 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Dedham |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Mt Ararat High School | Dedham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
12.5 |
12.2 |
10.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 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.