Compare towns
Ipswich vs Webster 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 people working from home (18.9%).
Webster has the most affordable homes ($362k median).
Rowley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.6%).
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 | Webster | Rowley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,930 |
17,748Highest |
1,708Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.2±3.5Highest 18% above MA |
39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
46.3±16.7 16% 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%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±6.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Webster 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% |
19.6%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
23.3%±4.8Highest 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
25.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
57.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
7.4%±5.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Rowley and Webster 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 |
$72,895±$6kLowest 30% below MA |
$109,622±$17k 5% above MA |
| Ipswich and Rowley 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 |
$361,500±$12kLowest 36% below MA |
$614,800±$39k 9% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,598±$90 9% below MA |
$1,228±$81Lowest 30% below MA |
$1,663±$674Highest 6% 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 | $7,960Highest 33% above MA |
$3,999Lowest 33% below MA |
$6,865 15% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±12.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
46.3%±45.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Ipswich and Rowley 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% |
12.7%Highest MA: 10% |
6.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.4% MA: 62.5% |
59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
78.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Highest same as MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
25 minLowest 15% below MA |
| Work from home | 18.9%±3.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.9%±5.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Ipswich and Rowley 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 | #271 of 282 in MA | #214 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ipswich | Webster | — |
| High school in town | Ipswich High | Bartlett High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
11.6Highest |
— |
| 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.