Compare towns
Ipswich vs Topsfield 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 most renters (25.6% rent).
Topsfield has the most people working from home (29.4%).
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 | Topsfield | Rowley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,930Highest |
6,564 |
6,251Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.2±3.5 18% above MA |
42.2±1.8Lowest 6% 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% |
24.8%±4.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.3%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Topsfield and Rowley 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% |
22.4%±3.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.6%±4.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Topsfield 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% |
71.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
56.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2Highest 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 |
$195,718±$16kHighest 88% above MA |
$132,734±$32kLowest 28% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $745,400±$40k 33% above MA |
$853,400±$40kHighest 52% above MA |
$667,300±$52kLowest 19% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,598±$90 9% below MA |
$1,115±$538Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,603±$520Highest 9% below MA |
| Rowley and Ipswich 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$8,309 39% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±12.2 MA: 51.8% |
41.9%±40.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Rowley and Ipswich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.7% MA: 10% |
7.5%Highest MA: 10% |
3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
90.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
81.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest same as MA |
1969 5 yrs newer than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
28 min 3% below MA |
| Work from home | 18.9%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
29.4%±8.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.1%±4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Topsfield 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 | #172 of 282 in MA | #214 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ipswich | Topsfield | Triton |
| 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 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.