Compare towns
Middleton vs Dedham vs Dighton vs Danvers
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middleton has the highest household income ($167k).
Dedham has the most people working from home (20%).
Dighton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.3%).
Danvers has the most renters (30.8% rent).
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 | Middleton | Dedham | Dighton | Danvers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,816 |
25,237 |
8,193Lowest |
28,098Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8% MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+14.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±2 8% above MA |
44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
42.7±2.9Lowest 7% above MA |
45.3±3Highest 13% 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 | 17.2%±3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
21%±4Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Dighton and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2 MA: 17.9% |
17.5%±3.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2Highest 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+ | 41.7% MA: 47.3% |
55%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
48.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±2 MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Dighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $167,402±$29kHighest 61% above MA |
$128,955±$10k 24% above MA |
$136,646±$19k 31% above MA |
$125,395±$10kLowest 21% above MA |
| Middleton and Dighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $742,700±$48kHighest 32% above MA |
$661,800±$16k 18% above MA |
$501,900±$47kLowest 11% below MA |
$644,200±$23k 15% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,407±$284 20% below MA |
$2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$1,405±$192Lowest 20% below MA |
$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
| Danvers and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,785Highest 47% above MA |
$7,918 32% above MA |
$6,452Lowest 8% above MA |
$6,654 11% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.7%±25.3 MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
11.8%±16.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Dedham and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.4% MA: 10% |
5.6%Highest MA: 10% |
2.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.4% MA: 62.5% |
90.1% MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 3% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
31 minHighest 6% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 12.5%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
11%±3.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Dedham and Danvers 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 | #71 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA | #85 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Middleton | Dedham | Bristol County Agricultural · Dighton-Rehoboth | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers |
| High school in town | None in town | Dedham High | Bristol County Agricultural High | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4Lowest |
11.9 |
12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.