Compare towns
Ipswich vs Rowley vs Rowley vs Gloucester
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 people working from home (18.9%).
Rowley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.6%).
Rowley has the most homeowners (81.7%).
Gloucester has the most renters (36.1% rent).
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 | Rowley | Rowley | Gloucester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 13,930 |
1,708Lowest |
6,251 |
30,075Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.6% MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+3.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.2±3.5 18% above MA |
46.3±16.7Lowest 16% above MA |
50±6.3 25% above MA |
50.2±2.3Highest 26% above MA |
| Gloucester and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.7 MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±6.9 MA: 19.4% |
19.3%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±1.6Lowest 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%±2.4 MA: 17.9% |
23.3%±4.8 MA: 17.9% |
21.6%±4.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
27.9%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Gloucester 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
57.3% MA: 47.3% |
56.8% MA: 47.3% |
40.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
7.4%±5.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
3.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Rowley 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 |
$109,622±$17k 5% above MA |
$132,734±$32k 28% above MA |
$83,883±$6kLowest 19% below 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 |
$614,800±$39k 9% above MA |
$667,300±$52k 19% above MA |
$600,600±$18kLowest 7% above MA |
| Ipswich and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,598±$90 9% below MA |
$1,663±$674Highest 6% below MA |
$1,603±$520 9% below MA |
$1,411±$94Lowest 20% below MA |
| Rowley and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,960 33% above MA |
$6,865 15% above MA |
$8,309Highest 39% above MA |
$6,152Lowest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±12.2 MA: 51.8% |
46.3%±45.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.1%±7.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Rowley and Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.7% MA: 10% |
6.1% MA: 10% |
3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
9.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.4% MA: 62.5% |
78.6% MA: 62.5% |
81.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
63.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964 same as MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1946 18 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest about the MA average |
25 min 15% below MA |
28 min 3% below MA |
24 minLowest 18% below MA |
| Work from home | 18.9%±3.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.9%±5.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
11.1%±4 MA: 18.6% |
12.7%±2.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #101 of 282 in MA | #214 of 282 in MA | #214 of 282 in MA | #164 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ipswich | — | Triton | Gloucester |
| High school in town | Ipswich High | — | None in town | Gloucester High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
— | — | 10.0Highest |
| 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.