Compare towns
Dedham vs Windham vs Danvers vs Canton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dedham has the oldest housing (typical home built 1956).
Windham has the highest household income ($190k).
Danvers has the most renters (30.8% rent).
Canton has the most people working from home (25.7%).
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 | Windham | Danvers | Canton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237 |
16,038Lowest |
28,098Highest |
24,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+13% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
45.3±3Highest 16% above U.S. |
42.6±2.3 10% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.9%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
67.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 60% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$125,395±$10kLowest 55% above U.S. |
$143,381±$9k 78% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16k 99% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$644,200±$23kLowest 94% above U.S. |
$710,600±$27k 114% above U.S. |
| Windham 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 45% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$2,076±$192 47% above U.S. |
$2,315±$178 64% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918 154% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,654 113% above U.S. |
$6,560Lowest 110% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.8%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.7%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Canton and Windham 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 | #13 of 120 in NH | #91 of 282 in MA | #81 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Windham School District | — | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton |
| High school in town | Dedham High | Windham High School | — | Canton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
12.8 |
— | 13.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.