Compare towns
Ipswich vs Reading 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 oldest population (median age 47.2).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
Burlington has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
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 | Reading | Burlington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,930Lowest |
25,612 |
26,274Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.6% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.2±3.5Highest 18% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% 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%±2.7 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.1%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Reading 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% |
20.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.2% MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
58.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Burlington and Ipswich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $138,750±$16kLowest 33% above MA |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$146,436±$14k 41% above MA |
| Reading and Burlington 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 |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$740,600±$35kLowest 32% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,598±$90Lowest 9% below MA |
$1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$2,718±$368Highest 54% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,960 33% above MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$6,165Lowest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±12.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50.4%±10.7 MA: 51.8% |
| 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% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.4% MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964 same as MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
31 minHighest 6% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 18.9%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.5%±3.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #101 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #83 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ipswich | Reading | Burlington |
| High school in town | Ipswich High | Reading Memorial High | Burlington High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
12.1Highest |
11.3 |
| 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.