Compare towns
Gloucester vs Ipswich vs Upton vs Stoughton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gloucester has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Ipswich has the most expensive homes ($745k median).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Stoughton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.6%).
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 | Gloucester | Ipswich | Upton | Stoughton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 30,075Highest |
13,930 |
8,189Lowest |
29,225 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.6% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+8.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.2±2.3Highest 26% above MA |
47.2±3.5 18% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
45.7±1.9Lowest 14% 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%±2.7 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.5%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Ipswich 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%±2.4 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.8%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
60.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
41.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±0.7 MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.1%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Stoughton and Ipswich 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±$16k 33% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$104,794±$6k about the MA average |
| Upton and Ipswich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $600,600±$18k 7% above MA |
$745,400±$40kHighest 33% above MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$523,800±$28kLowest 7% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,411±$94 20% below MA |
$1,598±$90 9% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,050±$200Highest 16% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,152Lowest about the MA average |
$7,960 33% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$6,215 4% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±7.1 MA: 51.8% |
51.5%±12.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
68.4%±7.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Stoughton and Gloucester 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% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 63.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
74.4% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA |
1964 same as MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1969 5 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 18% below MA |
29 min about the MA average |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
33 min 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
18.9%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
15.4%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Upton 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 | #164 of 282 in MA | #101 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #196 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gloucester | Ipswich | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Stoughton |
| High school in town | Gloucester High | Ipswich High | Blackstone Valley | Stoughton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.0 |
9.0Lowest |
11.2Highest |
10.8 |
| 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.