Compare towns
Danvers vs Hatfield vs Dedham vs Peabody
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hatfield has the most affordable homes ($441k median).
Dedham has the most people working from home (20%).
Peabody has the most renters (34.4% rent).
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 | Hatfield | Dedham | Peabody |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098 |
3,325Lowest |
25,237 |
54,695Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+2.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6% MA: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3 13% above MA |
46.8±5Highest 17% above MA |
44.6±1.6Lowest 12% above MA |
45.3±2.4 13% above MA |
| Hatfield and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2 MA: 19.4% |
14%±4.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
18.7%±1.8Highest 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% |
23.3%±4.6 MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
24.3%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Peabody and Hatfield 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% |
48.5% MA: 47.3% |
55%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.6 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Hatfield 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 |
$89,005±$25kLowest 14% below MA |
$128,955±$10kHighest 24% above MA |
$96,657±$4k 7% below MA |
| 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 |
$440,800±$26kLowest 22% below MA |
$661,800±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
$596,200±$12k 6% above 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 |
$1,267±$216Lowest 28% below MA |
$2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$1,950±$99 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 | $6,654 11% above MA |
$4,930Lowest 18% below MA |
$7,918Highest 32% above MA |
$5,065 15% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
42.6%±11.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
58.3%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Peabody and Dedham 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% |
8.9%Highest MA: 10% |
5.6% MA: 10% |
7.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2% MA: 62.5% |
74.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.4% MA: 62.5% |
65.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 1 yr older than MA |
1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
20 minLowest 30% below MA |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
26 min 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
16%±6.3 MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest 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 | #198 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA | #228 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Hatfield | Dedham | Peabody |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Smith Academy | Dedham High | Peabody Veterans Memorial High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
6.1Lowest |
10.4 |
10.3 |
| 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.