Compare towns
Danvers vs Whitman vs Upton 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).
Whitman has the most affordable homes ($473k median).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Dedham has the most expensive homes ($662k median).
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 | Whitman | Upton | Dedham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098Highest |
15,295 |
8,189Lowest |
25,237 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3 13% above MA |
40.4±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
| Upton 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% |
21.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Whitman 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% |
15.5%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 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% |
31.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
55%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Whitman 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 |
$108,933±$14kLowest 5% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$128,955±$10k 24% above MA |
| Upton and Dedham 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 |
$472,700±$12kLowest 16% below MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$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 |
$1,771±$151 about the MA average |
$948±$599Lowest 46% 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 |
$5,824Lowest about the MA average |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$7,918 32% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
61.9%±13.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
| Whitman 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% |
7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
71.4% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 1 yr older than MA |
1957 7 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest about the MA average |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
10.8%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Dedham 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 | #191 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Whitman-Hanson | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Dedham |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Dedham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 11.2 |
10.4Lowest |
| 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.