Compare towns
Dedham vs Canton vs Danvers vs Burlington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dedham has the oldest housing (typical home built 1956).
Canton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
Danvers has the most renters (30.8% rent).
Burlington has the most expensive homes ($741k 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 | Dedham | Canton | Danvers | Burlington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237 |
24,748Lowest |
28,098Highest |
26,274 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+13%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+7.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
42.6±2.3Lowest 7% above MA |
45.3±3 13% above MA |
45.9±2.2Highest 15% above MA |
| Burlington and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
22.9%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2 MA: 19.4% |
17.1%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2 MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2.5 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+ | 55% MA: 47.3% |
67.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
48.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
58.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1 MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $128,955±$10k 24% above MA |
$143,381±$9k 38% above MA |
$125,395±$10kLowest 21% above MA |
$146,436±$14kHighest 41% above MA |
| Burlington and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16k 18% above MA |
$710,600±$27k 26% above MA |
$644,200±$23kLowest 15% above MA |
$740,600±$35kHighest 32% above MA |
| Burlington and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182Lowest 16% above MA |
$2,315±$178 31% above MA |
$2,076±$192 18% above MA |
$2,718±$368Highest 54% above MA |
| Burlington and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918Highest 32% above MA |
$6,560 9% above MA |
$6,654 11% above MA |
$6,165Lowest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50.4%±10.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Dedham and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.6% MA: 10% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% MA: 62.5% |
73.6% MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
74.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.5%±3.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Canton and Burlington 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 | #119 of 282 in MA | #81 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA | #83 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Burlington |
| High school in town | Dedham High | Canton High | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Burlington High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
13.1Highest |
12.8 |
11.3 |
| 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.