Compare towns
Ipswich vs Douglas 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 most renters (25.6% rent).
Douglas has the most affordable homes ($471k 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 | Douglas | Hamilton | Rowley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 13,930Highest |
9,207 |
7,600 |
1,708Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.6% MA: +7.4% |
+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±2.6 10% above MA |
43.5±2.1Lowest 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% |
21.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
24%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±6.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Hamilton and Douglas 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% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest 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% |
41.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
68.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
57.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.3 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±$16k 33% above MA |
$152,267±$10kHighest 46% above MA |
$129,833±$14k 25% above MA |
$109,622±$17kLowest 5% above MA |
| Douglas and Ipswich 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 |
$470,600±$29kLowest 16% 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 |
$1,503±$697Lowest 15% 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 |
$6,338Lowest 6% above 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% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
65.8%±23.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
46.3%±45.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Hamilton 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% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.8%Highest MA: 10% |
6.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.8% MA: 62.5% |
84.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
78.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964 same as MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer 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 |
34 minHighest 16% above MA |
32 min 11% above MA |
25 minLowest 15% below MA |
| Work from home | 18.9%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
20.9%±4.9 MA: 18.6% |
26.3%±5.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.9%±5.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Hamilton and Douglas 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 | #177 of 282 in MA | #36 of 282 in MA | #214 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ipswich | Douglas | Hamilton-Wenham | — |
| High school in town | Ipswich High | Douglas High School | Hamilton-Wenham Regional High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0 |
7.2Lowest |
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.