Compare towns
Ipswich vs Swampscott vs Rowley
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 highest household income ($139k).
Swampscott has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.6%).
Rowley has the most affordable homes ($667k median).
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 | Swampscott | Rowley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,930 |
15,277Highest |
6,251Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.2±3.5 18% above MA |
44.5±3.5Lowest 11% above MA |
50±6.3Highest 25% 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% |
20.1%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.3%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Swampscott 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% |
20.4%±2.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.6%±4.1 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% |
62.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
56.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2Highest 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±$16kHighest 33% above MA |
$134,386±$23k 29% above MA |
$132,734±$32kLowest 28% above MA |
| 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 33% above MA |
$771,100±$41kHighest 37% above MA |
$667,300±$52kLowest 19% 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±$90Lowest 9% below MA |
$2,303±$143Highest 31% above MA |
$1,603±$520 9% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,960 33% above MA |
$7,936Lowest 32% above MA |
$8,309Highest 39% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±12.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57%±14.2 MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Rowley and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.7% MA: 10% |
7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.9% MA: 62.5% |
81.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964 same as MA |
1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
34 minHighest 18% above MA |
28 minLowest 3% below MA |
| Work from home | 18.9%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
27.2%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.1%±4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | #76 of 282 in MA | #214 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ipswich | Swampscott | Triton |
| High school in town | Ipswich High | Swampscott High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
11.7Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.