Compare towns
Gloucester vs Oxford vs Ipswich
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).
Oxford has the most affordable homes ($375k median).
Ipswich has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.6%).
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 | Oxford | Ipswich |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 30,075Highest |
13,385Lowest |
13,930 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.3% MA: +7.4% |
-2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.2±2.3Highest 26% above MA |
42±2.8Lowest 5% above MA |
47.2±3.5 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% |
21.3%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.9%±2.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Oxford 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% |
16.6%±2.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.3% MA: 47.3% |
29.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
60.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±2.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Oxford 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 |
$103,862±$10k about the MA average |
$138,750±$16kHighest 33% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $600,600±$18k 7% above MA |
$374,900±$18kLowest 33% below MA |
$745,400±$40kHighest 33% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,411±$94 20% below MA |
$1,177±$142Lowest 33% below MA |
$1,598±$90Highest 9% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,152 about the MA average |
$4,622Lowest 23% below MA |
$7,960Highest 33% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±7.1 MA: 51.8% |
57.8%±15.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.5%±12.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Oxford 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% |
7.7% MA: 10% |
5.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 63.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA |
1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1964 same as MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 18% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 12.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16.4%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
18.9%±3.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Ipswich and Oxford 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 | #245 of 282 in MA | #101 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gloucester | Oxford | Ipswich |
| High school in town | Gloucester High | Oxford High | Ipswich High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.0 |
10.3Highest |
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.