Compare towns
Dedham vs Danvers vs Hanson vs Wakefield
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 shortest commute (28 min average).
Hanson has the most homeowners (89%).
Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
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 | Hanson | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237 |
28,098Highest |
10,660Lowest |
27,793 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+4.2% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
42.8±3 7% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
| Danvers and Dedham 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% |
17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±3.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Hanson and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2 MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.7%±3 MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Lowest 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% |
48.4% MA: 47.3% |
42.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Hanson 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 |
$125,395±$10kLowest 21% above MA |
$132,200±$10k 27% above MA |
$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
| Wakefield and Hanson 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 |
$644,200±$23k 15% above MA |
$533,900±$36kLowest 5% below MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,821±$860Lowest 3% above MA |
$1,958±$102 11% 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 | $7,918Highest 32% above MA |
$6,654 11% above MA |
$6,402Lowest 7% above MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
69%±33.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Hanson and Dedham 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% MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
7.9%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Wakefield 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 | #149 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | — | Whitman-Hanson | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Dedham High | — | Whitman Hanson Regional | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
— | 14.7Highest |
10.7 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.