Compare towns
Dover vs Dedham vs Marblehead
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
Dedham has the most affordable homes ($662k median).
Marblehead has the oldest population (median age 49.1).
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 | Dover | Dedham | Marblehead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,930Lowest |
25,237Highest |
20,413 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.9±2.3 12% above MA |
44.6±1.6Lowest 12% above MA |
49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
| Marblehead and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26%±5.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Dover and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2 MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Marblehead and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 84.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
55%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
78.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±2.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Dover and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $250,001Highest 140% above MA |
$128,955±$10kLowest 24% above MA |
$182,132±$28k 75% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,340,300±$117kHighest 138% above MA |
$661,800±$16kLowest 18% above MA |
$943,900±$31k 68% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,917±$2kHighest 66% above MA |
$2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$1,764±$147Lowest about the MA average |
| Dover and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$7,918Lowest 32% above MA |
$8,309 39% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.5%±8.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Dedham and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.6%Highest MA: 10% |
4.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Highest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 19% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
33 min 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 34.2%±6.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
34%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Dover and Marblehead 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 | #1 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA | #47 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dover · Dover-Sherborn | Dedham | Marblehead |
| High school in town | Dover-Sherborn Regional High | Dedham High | Marblehead High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
10.4 |
10.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.