Compare towns
Ipswich vs Dedham 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 most expensive homes ($745k median).
Dedham has the most people working from home (20%).
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 | Dedham | Rowley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,930 |
25,237Highest |
1,708Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.6% MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.2±3.5Highest 18% above MA |
44.6±1.6Lowest 12% 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%±2.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±6.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Ipswich and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2Lowest 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
55%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
57.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
7.4%±5.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Rowley 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±$10k 24% above MA |
$109,622±$17kLowest 5% above MA |
| Ipswich and Dedham 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±$16k 18% above MA |
$614,800±$39kLowest 9% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,598±$90Lowest 9% below MA |
$2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$1,663±$674 6% below MA |
| Dedham and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,960Highest 33% above MA |
$7,918 32% above MA |
$6,865Lowest 15% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±12.2 MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
46.3%±45.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Dedham and Ipswich 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%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.4% MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
78.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Highest same as MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest about the MA average |
29 min about the MA average |
25 minLowest 15% below MA |
| Work from home | 18.9%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.9%±5.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Dedham 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 | #119 of 282 in MA | #214 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ipswich | Dedham | — |
| High school in town | Ipswich High | Dedham High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
10.4Highest |
— |
| 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.