Compare towns
Ipswich vs Rowley vs Stow
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 most affordable homes ($667k median).
Stow has the most people working from home (36.6%).
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 | Stow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,930Highest |
6,251Lowest |
7,165 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+8.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.2±3.5 18% above MA |
50±6.3Highest 25% above MA |
44.1±4.4Lowest 10% above MA |
| Rowley and Ipswich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.3%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Stow and Rowley 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% |
21.6%±4.1 MA: 17.9% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Ipswich 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% MA: 47.3% |
56.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
75.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Rowley 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±$16k 33% above MA |
$132,734±$32kLowest 28% above MA |
$185,809±$22kHighest 79% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $745,400±$40kHighest 33% above MA |
$667,300±$52kLowest 19% above MA |
$729,600±$39k 30% above MA |
| Ipswich and Stow 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 |
$1,603±$520 9% below MA |
$1,782±$126Highest about the MA average |
| Stow and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,960Lowest 33% above MA |
$8,309 39% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±12.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±27.3 MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Stow and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.7%Highest MA: 10% |
3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
81.7% MA: 62.5% |
85.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest same as MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 3% below MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
| Work from home | 18.9%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
11.1%±4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #101 of 282 in MA | #214 of 282 in MA | #44 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ipswich | Triton | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Ipswich High | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0 |
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| 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.