Compare towns
Ipswich vs Sutton vs Rowley vs Maynard
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 expensive homes ($745k median).
Sutton has the most homeowners (89.7%).
Rowley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.6%).
Maynard has the most people working from home (22.9%).
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 | Sutton | Rowley | Maynard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 13,930Highest |
9,452 |
1,708Lowest |
10,712 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.6% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.2±3.5Highest 18% above MA |
44.3±2.5Lowest 11% above MA |
46.3±16.7 16% above MA |
45.3±4.3 13% 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% |
19.6%±3.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±6.9 MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±4.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Sutton 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% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
23.3%±4.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±3.3Lowest 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% |
52.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
57.3% MA: 47.3% |
64.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
7.4%±5.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest 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 |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$109,622±$17kLowest 5% above MA |
$124,067±$16k 19% 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±$40kHighest 33% above MA |
$523,100±$47kLowest 7% below MA |
$614,800±$39k 9% above MA |
$527,400±$31k 6% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,598±$90 9% below MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,663±$674 6% below MA |
$1,800±$148Highest about the MA average |
| Maynard 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 |
$6,763Lowest 13% above MA |
$6,865 15% above MA |
$8,266Highest 38% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±12.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
46.3%±45.1 MA: 51.8% |
44.9%±9.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ipswich and Sutton 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% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
6.1% MA: 10% |
8.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
78.6% MA: 62.5% |
75% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964 same as MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
30 min about the MA average |
25 minLowest 15% below MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 18.9%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
10.9%±5.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.9%±7.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Maynard 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 | #105 of 282 in MA | #214 of 282 in MA | #166 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ipswich | Sutton | — | Maynard |
| High school in town | Ipswich High | Sutton High School | — | Maynard High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
12.6Highest |
— | 9.7 |
| 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.