Compare towns
Ipswich vs Plainville vs Burlington
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 kids (18.9% under 18).
Plainville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20.3%).
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 | Plainville | Burlington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,930 |
9,943Lowest |
26,274Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+20.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.2±3.5Highest 18% above MA |
43.2±3.6Lowest 8% above MA |
45.9±2.2 15% above MA |
| 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%±2.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±4 MA: 19.4% |
17.1%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Ipswich and Plainville 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% |
22.2%±3.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Plainville 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
58.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Burlington and Plainville 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 |
$104,106±$13kLowest about the MA average |
$146,436±$14kHighest 41% above MA |
| 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 33% above MA |
$476,000±$35kLowest 15% below MA |
$740,600±$35k 32% above MA |
| 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±$90Lowest 9% below MA |
$1,977±$197 12% above MA |
$2,718±$368Highest 54% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,960Highest 33% above MA |
$5,329Lowest 11% below MA |
$6,165 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±12.2 MA: 51.8% |
53.8%±13.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.4%±10.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Plainville 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% |
7.4%Highest MA: 10% |
5.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
74.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest same as MA |
1978Highest 14 yrs newer than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest about the MA average |
29 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 18.9%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
17.9%±4.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.5%±3.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | #102 of 282 in MA | #83 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ipswich | Plainville | Burlington |
| High school in town | Ipswich High | None in town | Burlington High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
— | 11.3Highest |
| 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.