Compare towns
Dorset vs Danvers vs Dummerston vs Waitsfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dorset has the most people working from home (29.3%).
Danvers has the most renters (30.8% rent).
Dummerston has the most affordable homes ($335k median).
Waitsfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.3%).
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 | Dorset | Danvers | Dummerston | Waitsfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,092 |
28,098Highest |
2,090 |
1,918Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±7.5Highest 18% above U.S. |
45.3±3 16% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7 17% above U.S. |
44.3±5.3Lowest 14% above U.S. |
| Dorset and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 24%±5.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6 U.S.: 22% |
23.8%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Dorset and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Waitsfield and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 72.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Danvers and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $111,250±$40k 38% above U.S. |
$125,395±$10kHighest 55% above U.S. |
$101,696±$21k 26% above U.S. |
$84,375±$34kLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $569,200±$57k 71% above U.S. |
$644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$335,300±$22kLowest about the U.S. average |
$422,400±$92k 27% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,420±$296 about the U.S. average |
$2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
$1,200±$821Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,489Highest 140% above U.S. |
$6,654 113% above U.S. |
$4,536Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$6,208 99% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.4%±22.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±30.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dorset and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 18% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 29.3%±7.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dorset and Dummerston 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 | — | #91 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | Taconic and Green Regional School District #63 | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 |
| High school in town | None in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— | — |
| 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.