Compare towns
Danvers vs North Attleborough Town vs Dedham vs Amesbury
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).
North Attleborough Town has the most affordable homes ($482k median).
Dedham has the most people working from home (20%).
Amesbury has the most renters (31.4% 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 | North Attleborough Town | Dedham | Amesbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098 |
30,984Highest |
25,237 |
17,403Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
42.4±1.4Lowest 6% above MA |
44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
43.7±1.7 9% 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% |
20.4%±2Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| North Attleborough Town and Amesbury 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% |
16.5%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2 MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.1 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% MA: 47.3% |
46.4% MA: 47.3% |
55%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and North Attleborough Town 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 |
$112,665±$5k 8% above MA |
$128,955±$10kHighest 24% above MA |
$103,554±$12kLowest about the MA average |
| 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 |
$482,200±$16kLowest 14% below MA |
$661,800±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
$519,300±$32k 8% below 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 |
$1,509±$102Lowest 14% below MA |
$2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$1,683±$115 4% below 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 |
$5,461Lowest 9% below MA |
$7,918Highest 32% above MA |
$7,360 23% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
42.6%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Amesbury and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% MA: 10% |
4.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.6% MA: 10% |
7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2% MA: 62.5% |
72.1% MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 1 yr older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1969 5 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest about the MA average |
32 minHighest 11% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
16.1%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±2.8 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 | #94 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA | #151 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | North Attleborough | Dedham | Amesbury |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | North Attleboro High | Dedham High | Amesbury High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
13.1Highest |
10.4Lowest |
10.9 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.