Compare towns
Danvers vs Rochester vs Dedham
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 renters (30.8% rent).
Rochester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.3%).
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 | Rochester | Dedham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098Highest |
5,837Lowest |
25,237 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+9.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3 13% above MA |
46.5±6Highest 16% above MA |
44.6±1.6Lowest 12% above MA |
| Rochester and Danvers 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% |
20.1%±4.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Rochester and Dedham 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% |
20.1%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2 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% |
43.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
55%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Danvers 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 |
$120,273±$12kLowest 16% above MA |
$128,955±$10kHighest 24% above 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 |
$599,100±$31kLowest 7% above MA |
$661,800±$16kHighest 18% 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 |
$1,432±$743Lowest 19% below MA |
$2,042±$182 16% 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 |
$6,530Lowest 9% above MA |
$7,918Highest 32% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
39.1%±10.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Dedham and Danvers 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% |
5.4% MA: 10% |
5.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
88.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 1 yr older than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest about the MA average |
37 minHighest 25% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
8.3%±3.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7Highest 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 | #104 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical · Rochester | Dedham |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical | Dedham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
9.1Lowest |
10.4 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.