Compare towns
Dedham vs Needham vs Danvers vs Wakefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Danvers has the most affordable homes ($644k median).
Wakefield has the youngest population (median age 42.4).
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 | Needham | Danvers | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237Lowest |
32,459Highest |
28,098 |
27,793 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
45.3±3Highest 13% 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% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 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% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
48.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Needham 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 |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$125,395±$10kLowest 21% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16k 18% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$644,200±$23kLowest 15% above MA |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$2,076±$192 18% above MA |
$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
| Needham and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918 32% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,654Lowest 11% above MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Dedham and Needham 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% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
70.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1965Highest 1 yr newer than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Needham | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Dedham High | Needham High | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
11.9 |
12.8Highest |
10.7 |
| 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.