Compare towns
Ipswich vs Marblehead vs Rowley vs Hamilton
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).
Marblehead has the highest household income ($182k).
Rowley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.6%).
Hamilton has the most kids (24% under 18).
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 | Marblehead | Rowley | Hamilton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 13,930 |
20,413Highest |
1,708Lowest |
7,600 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.6% MA: +7.4% |
+3.2% MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.2±3.5 18% above MA |
49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
46.3±16.7 16% above MA |
43.5±2.1Lowest 9% above MA |
| Marblehead 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% |
22.3%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±6.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
24%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Hamilton and Marblehead 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% |
22.7%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
23.3%±4.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±3.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Rowley and Marblehead 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% |
78.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
57.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
68.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.4%±5.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±1.6 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 |
$182,132±$28kHighest 75% above MA |
$109,622±$17kLowest 5% above MA |
$129,833±$14k 25% above MA |
| Marblehead 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±$40k 33% above MA |
$943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA |
$614,800±$39kLowest 9% above MA |
$720,000±$36k 28% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,598±$90Lowest 9% below MA |
$1,764±$147 about the MA average |
$1,663±$674 6% below MA |
$1,794±$394Highest about the MA average |
| Hamilton and Marblehead 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 |
$8,309 39% above MA |
$6,865Lowest 15% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±12.2 MA: 51.8% |
49.5%±8.8 MA: 51.8% |
46.3%±45.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
65.8%±23.6Highest 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% |
4.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.1% MA: 10% |
7.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
78.6% MA: 62.5% |
84.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Highest same as MA |
1944 20 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
25 minLowest 15% below MA |
32 min 11% above MA |
| Work from home | 18.9%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.9%±5.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
26.3%±5.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Marblehead and Hamilton 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 | #47 of 282 in MA | #214 of 282 in MA | #36 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ipswich | Marblehead | — | Hamilton-Wenham |
| High school in town | Ipswich High | Marblehead High | — | Hamilton-Wenham Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
10.7 |
— | 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.