What stands out worked out from the figures below

Gloucester has the most affordable homes ($601k median).

Ipswich has the highest household income ($139k).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Gloucester	Ipswich
People
Population	30,075Highest	13,930Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+4.6%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	50.2±2.3Highest 26% above MA	47.2±3.5Lowest 18% above MA
	Gloucester and Ipswich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	15.1%±1.6Lowest MA: 19.4%	18.9%±2.7Highest MA: 19.4%
	Ipswich and Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	27.9%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9%	21.9%±2.4Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40.3%Lowest MA: 47.3%	60.2%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.1%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9%
	Ipswich and Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$83,883±$6kLowest 19% below MA	$138,750±$16kHighest 33% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$600,600±$18kLowest 7% above MA	$745,400±$40kHighest 33% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,411±$94Lowest 20% below MA	$1,598±$90Highest 9% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,152Lowest about the MA average	$7,960Highest 33% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	55.1%±7.1Highest MA: 51.8%	51.5%±12.2Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Gloucester and Ipswich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	9.6%Highest MA: 10%	5.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	63.9%Lowest MA: 62.5%	74.4%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA	1964Highest same as MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 18% below MA	29 minHighest about the MA average
Work from home	12.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6%	18.9%±3.8Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#164 of 282 in MA	#101 of 282 in MA
School district	Gloucester	Ipswich
High school in town	Gloucester High	Ipswich High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.0Highest	9.0Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.