Compare towns
Ipswich vs Rowley vs Windham vs Swampscott
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ipswich has the highest household income ($139k).
Rowley has the most homeowners (81.7%).
Windham has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
Swampscott has the most people working from home (27.2%).
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 | Windham | Swampscott |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 13,930 |
6,251Lowest |
23,961Highest |
15,277 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +9.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.2±3.5 21% above U.S. |
50±6.3Highest 29% above U.S. |
33.7±1.9Lowest 13% below U.S. |
44.5±3.5 14% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
19.3%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
56.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
15.2%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $138,750±$16kHighest 72% above U.S. |
$132,734±$32k 64% above U.S. |
$55,736±$5kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$134,386±$23k 66% above U.S. |
| Ipswich and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $745,400±$40k 124% above U.S. |
$667,300±$52k 101% above U.S. |
$209,800±$9kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$771,100±$41kHighest 132% above U.S. |
| 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 13% above U.S. |
$1,603±$520 13% above U.S. |
$1,107±$69Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$2,303±$143Highest 63% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,960 155% above U.S. |
$8,309Highest 166% above U.S. |
$4,633Lowest 49% above U.S. |
$7,936 154% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±12.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.7%±27.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±8.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
57%±14.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Rowley and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
20.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
47.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1956 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
28 min 7% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.9%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.1%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±4.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Swampscott 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 | #214 of 282 in MA | #143 of 149 in CT | #76 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ipswich | Triton | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Swampscott |
| High school in town | Ipswich High | None in town | Windham High School | Swampscott High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
— | 9.8 |
11.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.