Compare towns
Dedham vs Danvers vs Berlin
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 most kids (18.6% under 18).
Danvers has the most renters (30.8% rent).
Berlin has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.2%).
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 | Danvers | Berlin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,237 |
28,098Highest |
3,378Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+10.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6Lowest 12% above MA |
45.3±3 13% above MA |
49.7±2.8Highest 24% above MA |
| Berlin and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2 MA: 19.4% |
13.4%±4.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Dedham and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
30.1%±5.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Berlin and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55%Highest MA: 47.3% |
48.4% MA: 47.3% |
48.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $128,955±$10kHighest 24% above MA |
$125,395±$10k 21% above MA |
$121,336±$12kLowest 17% 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 | $661,800±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
$644,200±$23k 15% above MA |
$616,600±$55kLowest 10% 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 | $2,042±$182Lowest 16% above MA |
$2,076±$192 18% above MA |
$2,420±$933Highest 37% above MA |
| Berlin and Danvers 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 |
$6,654Lowest 11% above MA |
$7,116 19% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.6%±19.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Dedham and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.6%Highest MA: 10% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
77.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
1992Highest 28 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
34 minHighest 17% above MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
29.1%±6.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Berlin 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 | #119 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA | #61 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | — | Berlin-Boylston |
| High school in town | Dedham High | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.