Compare towns
Dedham vs Ipswich vs Rowley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dedham has the most people working from home (20%).
Ipswich has the most expensive homes ($745k median).
Rowley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).
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 | Ipswich | Rowley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,237Highest |
13,930 |
6,251Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.6% MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6Lowest 12% above MA |
47.2±3.5 18% above MA |
50±6.3Highest 25% above MA |
| Rowley and Ipswich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±1.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.9%±2.7 MA: 19.4% |
19.3%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Rowley and Ipswich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.6%±4.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
60.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
56.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $128,955±$10kLowest 24% above MA |
$138,750±$16kHighest 33% above MA |
$132,734±$32k 28% above MA |
| Ipswich and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16kLowest 18% above MA |
$745,400±$40kHighest 33% above MA |
$667,300±$52k 19% above MA |
| Ipswich and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$1,598±$90Lowest 9% below MA |
$1,603±$520 9% below MA |
| Dedham and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918Lowest 32% above MA |
$7,960 33% above MA |
$8,309Highest 39% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
51.5%±12.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Rowley and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.6% MA: 10% |
5.7%Highest MA: 10% |
3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
74.4% MA: 62.5% |
81.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1964 same as MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
28 minLowest 3% below MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
18.9%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
11.1%±4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Dedham and Ipswich 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 | #101 of 282 in MA | #214 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Ipswich | Triton |
| High school in town | Dedham High | Ipswich High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Highest |
9.0Lowest |
— |
| 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.