Compare towns
Ipswich vs Plainfield vs Burlington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ipswich has the oldest population (median age 47.2).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Burlington has the most people working from home (22.5%).
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 | Plainfield | Burlington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,930Lowest |
15,141 |
26,274Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.2±3.5Highest 21% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
45.9±2.2 18% above U.S. |
| Ipswich and Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.1%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
58.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Burlington 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 72% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$146,436±$14kHighest 81% above U.S. |
| Burlington 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 124% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$740,600±$35k 123% above U.S. |
| Ipswich and Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,598±$90 13% above U.S. |
$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$2,718±$368Highest 92% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,960Highest 155% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$6,165 98% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±12.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.4%±10.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ipswich and Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.9%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.5%±3.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Burlington 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 | #131 of 149 in CT | #83 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ipswich | Plainfield School District | Burlington |
| High school in town | Ipswich High | Plainfield High School | Burlington High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
10.3 |
11.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.