Compare towns
Dedham vs Upton vs Danvers vs Canton
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).
Upton has the most homeowners (86.7%).
Danvers has the most renters (30.8% rent).
Canton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
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 | Upton | Danvers | Canton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237 |
8,189Lowest |
28,098Highest |
24,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+13%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
45.3±3 13% above MA |
42.6±2.3Lowest 7% 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 | 18.6%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.9%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Canton 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% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±2Lowest 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% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
48.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
67.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Canton 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 |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$125,395±$10kLowest 21% above MA |
$143,381±$9k 38% above MA |
| Upton 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 |
$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
$644,200±$23k 15% above MA |
$710,600±$27kHighest 26% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,076±$192 18% above MA |
$2,315±$178Highest 31% above MA |
| Canton 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 |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$6,654 11% above MA |
$6,560Lowest 9% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Dedham and Upton 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% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
35 min 22% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Canton and Upton 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA | #81 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | — | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton |
| High school in town | Dedham High | Blackstone Valley | — | Canton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
11.2 |
— | 13.1Highest |
| 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.