Compare towns
Newburyport vs Northborough vs Ipswich
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Newburyport has the most people working from home (28.9%).
Northborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.2%).
Ipswich has the shortest commute (29 min average).
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 | Newburyport | Northborough | Ipswich |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,652Highest |
15,750 |
13,930Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5% MA: +7.4% |
+11.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.8±2.9Highest 25% above MA |
45±3Lowest 13% above MA |
47.2±3.5 18% above MA |
| Newburyport and Ipswich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±2.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.9%±2.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Northborough and Newburyport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Newburyport and Ipswich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 67%Highest MA: 47.3% |
65.5% MA: 47.3% |
60.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Northborough and Ipswich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $139,625±$21k 34% above MA |
$153,199±$19kHighest 47% above MA |
$138,750±$16kLowest 33% above MA |
| Northborough and Newburyport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $834,000±$37kHighest 48% above MA |
$620,000±$24kLowest 10% above MA |
$745,400±$40k 33% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,592±$221Lowest 10% below MA |
$1,919±$269Highest 9% above MA |
$1,598±$90 9% below MA |
| Northborough and Ipswich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,944Lowest 33% above MA |
$7,983Highest 33% above MA |
$7,960 33% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.4%±9.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50.1%±16.3 MA: 51.8% |
51.5%±12.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Ipswich and Northborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.5% MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1964 same as MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 8% above MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 28.9%±4Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.5%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
18.9%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Newburyport and Northborough 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 | #56 of 282 in MA | #35 of 282 in MA | #101 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Newburyport | Northborough · Northboro-Southboro | Ipswich |
| High school in town | Newburyport High | Algonquin Regional High | Ipswich High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3 |
10.8Highest |
9.0Lowest |
| 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.