Compare towns
Ipswich vs Rowley vs Sutton vs Swampscott
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 renters (25.6% rent).
Rowley has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Sutton has the most affordable homes ($523k median).
Swampscott has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.6%).
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 | Rowley | Sutton | Swampscott |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 13,930 |
1,708Lowest |
9,452 |
15,277Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.6% MA: +7.4% |
+7.6% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.2±3.5Highest 18% above MA |
46.3±16.7 16% above MA |
44.3±2.5Lowest 11% above MA |
44.5±3.5 11% 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%±2.7 MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±6.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Swampscott and Sutton 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%±4.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±2.6 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% |
57.3% MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
7.4%±5.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Rowley and Swampscott 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 |
$109,622±$17kLowest 5% above MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$134,386±$23k 29% above MA |
| Sutton 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±$40k 33% above MA |
$614,800±$39k 9% above MA |
$523,100±$47kLowest 7% below MA |
$771,100±$41kHighest 37% above MA |
| Swampscott and Ipswich 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±$674 6% below MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
$2,303±$143Highest 31% above MA |
| Swampscott and Rowley 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 |
$6,865 15% above MA |
$6,763Lowest 13% above MA |
$7,936 32% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±12.2 MA: 51.8% |
46.3%±45.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
57%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Swampscott 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% |
6.1% MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
78.6% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964 same as MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1955 9 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
25 minLowest 15% below MA |
30 min about the MA average |
34 minHighest 18% above MA |
| Work from home | 18.9%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
10.9%±5.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
27.2%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Swampscott and Sutton 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 | #214 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #76 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ipswich | — | Sutton | Swampscott |
| High school in town | Ipswich High | — | Sutton High School | Swampscott High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
— | 12.6Highest |
11.7 |
| 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.