Compare towns
Windsor vs Danvers vs Dalton vs Oakham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windsor has the most people working from home (21.2%).
Danvers has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
Dalton has the most affordable homes ($296k median).
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 | Windsor | Danvers | Dalton | Oakham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,065Lowest |
28,098Highest |
6,256 |
1,639 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-6.3% MA: +7.4% |
-2.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.8±6.4Lowest 12% above MA |
45.3±3 13% above MA |
49.7±5.8Highest 24% above MA |
49±2.3 23% above MA |
| Dalton and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±5.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2 MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±4.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.2%±3.1 MA: 19.4% |
| Dalton and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.6%±4.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
27.9%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.4%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Dalton and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.5% MA: 47.3% |
48.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.3% MA: 47.3% |
40.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Danvers and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $115,563±$10k 11% above MA |
$125,395±$10kHighest 21% above MA |
$79,438±$8kLowest 24% below MA |
$102,000±$20k about the MA average |
| Danvers and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $389,700±$32k 31% below MA |
$644,200±$23kHighest 15% above MA |
$295,700±$26kLowest 47% below MA |
$420,100±$20k 25% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$872±$70Lowest 51% below MA |
$1,174±$81 33% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,867Lowest 35% below MA |
$6,654Highest 11% above MA |
$4,276 29% below MA |
$4,103 32% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
41.2%±19 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±69.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Danvers and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
7.4%Highest MA: 10% |
4.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
70.7% MA: 62.5% |
91.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 min 27% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
22 minLowest 24% below MA |
39 minHighest 32% above MA |
| Work from home | 21.2%±5.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±7.1 MA: 18.6% |
9.6%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Windsor 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 | — | #91 of 282 in MA | #192 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | — | Central Berkshire | Quabbin |
| High school in town | — | — | Wahconah Regional High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.9 |
— |
| 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.