Compare towns
Ipswich vs Dedham 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).
Dedham has the most renters (26.6% rent).
Hamilton has the most people working from home (26.3%).
Rowley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).
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 | Dedham | Hamilton | Rowley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 13,930 |
25,237Highest |
7,600 |
6,251Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.6% MA: +7.4% |
+2.6% MA: +7.4% |
-2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.2±3.5 18% above MA |
44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
43.5±2.1Lowest 9% above MA |
50±6.3Highest 25% above MA |
| Rowley and Ipswich 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% |
18.6%±1.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
24%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.3%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Hamilton and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±3.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.6%±4.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.2% MA: 47.3% |
55%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
68.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
56.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Hamilton and Dedham 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 |
$128,955±$10kLowest 24% above MA |
$129,833±$14k 25% above MA |
$132,734±$32k 28% above MA |
| Ipswich and Rowley 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 |
$661,800±$16kLowest 18% above MA |
$720,000±$36k 28% above MA |
$667,300±$52k 19% 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±$90Lowest 9% below MA |
$2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$1,794±$394 about the MA average |
$1,603±$520 9% below MA |
| Dedham and Hamilton 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 |
$7,918Lowest 32% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$8,309 39% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±12.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
65.8%±23.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±27.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Hamilton and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.7% MA: 10% |
5.6% MA: 10% |
7.8%Highest MA: 10% |
3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.4% MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
84.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
81.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964 same as MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
29 min about the MA average |
32 minHighest 11% above MA |
28 minLowest 3% below MA |
| Work from home | 18.9%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
26.3%±5.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.1%±4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Hamilton and Dedham 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 | #119 of 282 in MA | #36 of 282 in MA | #214 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ipswich | — | Hamilton-Wenham | Triton |
| High school in town | Ipswich High | — | Hamilton-Wenham Regional High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
— | 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.