Compare towns
Hull vs Ipswich vs Hingham vs Brewster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hull has the most affordable homes ($646k median).
Ipswich has the most renters (25.6% rent).
Hingham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.6%).
Brewster has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Hull | Ipswich | Hingham | Brewster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,138Lowest |
13,930 |
24,283Highest |
10,420 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.6% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.1±1.8 40% above MA |
47.2±3.5Lowest 18% above MA |
48.4±2.4 21% above MA |
59.6±4.7Highest 49% above MA |
| Brewster and Hull are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 11.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.9%±2.7 MA: 19.4% |
23.4%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Hingham and Ipswich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26%±2.6 MA: 17.9% |
38.6%±4.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
60.2% MA: 47.3% |
76.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
55.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
2.7%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Hull and Ipswich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $115,485±$14k 11% above MA |
$138,750±$16k 33% above MA |
$178,390±$15kHighest 72% above MA |
$103,317±$16kLowest about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $646,000±$38kLowest 15% above MA |
$745,400±$40k 33% above MA |
$1,134,200±$47kHighest 102% above MA |
$707,700±$51k 26% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,081±$187 18% above MA |
$1,598±$90 9% below MA |
$2,465±$603Highest 40% above MA |
$1,589±$465Lowest 10% below MA |
| Hingham and Hull are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,089 about the MA average |
$7,960 33% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,397Lowest 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±14 MA: 51.8% |
51.5%±12.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60.3%±12 MA: 51.8% |
61.2%±23.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Brewster and Hingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.8% MA: 10% |
5.7% MA: 10% |
4.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.6% MA: 62.5% |
74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
80.7% MA: 62.5% |
85%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA |
1964 same as MA |
1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
1983Highest 19 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 14% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
21 minLowest 28% below MA |
| Work from home | 19.7%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
18.9%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.1%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.3%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #66 of 282 in MA | #101 of 282 in MA | #14 of 282 in MA | #160 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hull | Ipswich | Hingham | Brewster |
| High school in town | Hull High | Ipswich High | Hingham High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.8Lowest |
9.0 |
12.9Highest |
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| 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.