Compare towns
Ipswich vs Wakefield 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).
Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
Rowley has the most homeowners (81.7%).
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 | Wakefield | Rowley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,930 |
27,793Highest |
6,251Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.2±3.5 18% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 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% |
20%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.3%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Wakefield 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% |
19%±1.9Lowest 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
56.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Rowley and Wakefield 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 |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
$132,734±$32kLowest 28% above MA |
| Ipswich and Wakefield 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 |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
$667,300±$52kLowest 19% above MA |
| Ipswich and Wakefield 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 |
$1,958±$102Highest 11% above MA |
$1,603±$520 9% below MA |
| Wakefield 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 |
$7,779Lowest 30% above MA |
$8,309Highest 39% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±12.2 MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest 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%Highest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.4% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
81.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964 same as MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
28 minLowest 3% below MA |
| Work from home | 18.9%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.1%±4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Wakefield 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 | #179 of 282 in MA | #214 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ipswich | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Triton |
| High school in town | Ipswich High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
10.7Highest |
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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.