Compare towns
Ipswich vs Maynard vs Somerville 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).
Maynard has the most affordable homes ($527k median).
Somerville has the most renters (65.8% rent).
Rowley has the most homeowners (81.7%).
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 | Maynard | Somerville | Rowley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 13,930 |
10,712 |
81,036Highest |
6,251Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
+7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.2±3.5 18% above MA |
45.3±4.3 13% above MA |
31.9±0.6Lowest 20% below 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% |
16.9%±4.3 MA: 19.4% |
9.8%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.3%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Rowley and Ipswich 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% |
18.2%±3.3 MA: 17.9% |
10%±0.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.6%±4.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Ipswich and Rowley 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% |
64.2% MA: 47.3% |
69.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
56.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
12.8%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $138,750±$16kHighest 33% above MA |
$124,067±$16kLowest 19% above MA |
$132,572±$6k 28% 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±$40k 33% above MA |
$527,400±$31kLowest 6% below MA |
$911,300±$26kHighest 62% above MA |
$667,300±$52k 19% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,598±$90Lowest 9% below MA |
$1,800±$148 about the MA average |
$2,517±$64Highest 43% above MA |
$1,603±$520 9% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,960 33% above MA |
$8,266 38% above MA |
$6,186Lowest 3% above MA |
$8,309Highest 39% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±12.2 MA: 51.8% |
44.9%±9.6 MA: 51.8% |
36.2%±2.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Rowley 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% |
8.3% MA: 10% |
9.8%Highest MA: 10% |
3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.4% MA: 62.5% |
75% MA: 62.5% |
34.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
81.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964 same as MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
28 minLowest 3% below MA |
| Work from home | 18.9%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
22.9%±7.7 MA: 18.6% |
31.3%±2.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.1%±4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Somerville and Maynard 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 | #166 of 282 in MA | #225 of 282 in MA | #214 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ipswich | Maynard | Somerville | Triton |
| High school in town | Ipswich High | Maynard High | Somerville High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
9.7 |
11.2Highest |
— |
| 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.