Compare towns
Ipswich vs Chicopee vs Hamilton vs Rowley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ipswich has the highest household income ($139k).
Chicopee has the most affordable homes ($275k median).
Hamilton has the most people working from home (26.3%).
Rowley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.6%).
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 | Ipswich | Chicopee | Hamilton | Rowley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 13,930 |
55,295Highest |
7,600 |
1,708Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.6% MA: +7.4% |
+0.5% MA: +7.4% |
-2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.2±3.5Highest 18% above MA |
41.9±1.4Lowest 5% above MA |
43.5±2.1 9% above MA |
46.3±16.7 16% above MA |
| Ipswich and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.7 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
24%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±6.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Hamilton and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2.4 MA: 17.9% |
19.5%±1.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±3.8 MA: 17.9% |
23.3%±4.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Rowley and Ipswich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.2% MA: 47.3% |
22.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
68.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
57.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
7.4%±5.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Rowley and Hamilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $138,750±$16kHighest 33% above MA |
$62,615±$6kLowest 40% below MA |
$129,833±$14k 25% above MA |
$109,622±$17k 5% above MA |
| Ipswich and Hamilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $745,400±$40kHighest 33% above MA |
$274,500±$8kLowest 51% below MA |
$720,000±$36k 28% above MA |
$614,800±$39k 9% above MA |
| Ipswich and Hamilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,598±$90 9% below MA |
$1,157±$50Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,794±$394Highest about the MA average |
$1,663±$674 6% below MA |
| Hamilton and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,960 33% above MA |
$3,847Lowest 36% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,865 15% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±12.2 MA: 51.8% |
52%±5.6 MA: 51.8% |
65.8%±23.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
46.3%±45.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Hamilton and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
17.3%Highest MA: 10% |
7.8% MA: 10% |
6.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.4% MA: 62.5% |
55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
84.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
78.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Highest same as MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
21 minLowest 27% below MA |
32 minHighest 11% above MA |
25 min 15% below MA |
| Work from home | 18.9%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
8%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
26.3%±5.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.9%±5.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Hamilton 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 | #101 of 282 in MA | #247 of 282 in MA | #36 of 282 in MA | #214 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ipswich | Chicopee | Hamilton-Wenham | — |
| High school in town | Ipswich High | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | Hamilton-Wenham Regional High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
11.2 |
11.8Highest |
— |
| 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.