What stands out worked out from the figures below

Milton has the most people working from home (29.7%).

Ipswich has the most affordable homes ($745k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Milton	Ipswich
People
Population	28,587Highest	13,930Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6%Highest MA: +7.4%	+4.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	41.1±1.8Lowest about the MA average	47.2±3.5Highest 18% above MA
Kids under 18	25.3%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4%	18.9%±2.7Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	16.1%±1.8Lowest MA: 17.9%	21.9%±2.4Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	71.9%Highest MA: 47.3%	60.2%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	9.7%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9%	4.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$188,529±$15kHighest 81% above MA	$138,750±$16kLowest 33% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$933,200±$31kHighest 66% above MA	$745,400±$40kLowest 33% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,474±$281Lowest 16% below MA	$1,598±$90Highest 9% below MA
	Ipswich and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,677Highest 61% above MA	$7,960Lowest 33% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.7%±20.9Lowest MA: 51.8%	51.5%±12.2Highest MA: 51.8%
	Ipswich and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.7%Lowest MA: 10%	5.7%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85.2%Highest MA: 62.5%	74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA	1964Highest same as MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 8% above MA	29 minLowest about the MA average
Work from home	29.7%±2.9Highest MA: 18.6%	18.9%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#55 of 282 in MA	#101 of 282 in MA
School district	Milton	Ipswich
High school in town	Milton High	Ipswich High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.4Highest	9.0Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.