Compare towns
Danvers vs Ogunquit vs Gray 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).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).
Dedham has the highest household income ($129k).
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 | Ogunquit | Gray | Dedham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098Highest |
1,379Lowest |
8,429 |
25,237 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3 16% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Gray 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2 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. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8kLowest 18% 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. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$661,800±$16k 99% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
— | $1,371±$89Lowest about the U.S. average |
$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. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$7,918Highest 154% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #91 of 282 in MA | — | #10 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 | Dedham |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | — | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Dedham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 12.5 |
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.