Compare towns
Ipswich vs Northampton 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).
Northampton has the most affordable homes ($430k median).
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 | Northampton | Rowley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,930 |
30,962Highest |
1,708Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.6% MA: +7.4% |
+3.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.2±3.5Highest 18% above MA |
41.3±2.2Lowest 3% 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% |
16%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±6.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Ipswich and Rowley 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% |
20.4%±1.7Lowest 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% |
62.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
57.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
14%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
7.4%±5.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Northampton and Rowley 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 |
$80,288±$6kLowest 23% below MA |
$109,622±$17k 5% 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 |
$429,700±$17kLowest 24% below MA |
$614,800±$39k 9% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,598±$90 9% below MA |
$1,439±$75Lowest 18% below MA |
$1,663±$674Highest 6% below MA |
| Rowley and Ipswich 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 |
$5,680Lowest 5% below MA |
$6,865 15% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±12.2 MA: 51.8% |
57.6%±6.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
46.3%±45.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Northampton and Ipswich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
13.4%Highest MA: 10% |
6.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.4% MA: 62.5% |
57.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
78.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Highest same as MA |
1955 9 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest about the MA average |
21 minLowest 26% below MA |
25 min 15% below MA |
| Work from home | 18.9%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
24.1%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.9%±5.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Northampton 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 | #159 of 282 in MA | #214 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ipswich | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural | — |
| High school in town | Ipswich High | Northampton High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
14.7Highest |
— |
| 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.