Compare towns
Peru vs Ipswich vs Florida
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Peru has the most homeowners (98.2%).
Ipswich has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.6%).
Florida has the shortest commute (26 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 | Peru | Ipswich | Florida |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 630Lowest |
13,930Highest |
668 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9% MA: +7.4% |
+4.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-7.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.6±4.8 32% above MA |
47.2±3.5Lowest 18% above MA |
56.1±4.4Highest 40% above MA |
| Florida and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
18.9%±2.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
11.5%±3.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Ipswich and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.9 MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
30.1%±4.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Florida and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28% MA: 47.3% |
60.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±2.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Florida and Ipswich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $90,750±$18k 13% below MA |
$138,750±$16kHighest 33% above MA |
$86,875±$17kLowest 16% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $267,400±$15k 52% below MA |
$745,400±$40kHighest 33% above MA |
$246,800±$19kLowest 56% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,598±$90Highest 9% below MA |
$867±$256Lowest 51% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,805 36% below MA |
$7,960Highest 33% above MA |
$1,894Lowest 68% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.5%±12.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
16.7%±100 MA: 51.8% |
| Ipswich and Florida are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.7% MA: 10% |
5.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
91.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 19 yrs newer than MA |
1964Lowest same as MA |
1978 14 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 7% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
26 minLowest 10% below MA |
| Work from home | 10.3%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
18.9%±3.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
6.4%±2.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Ipswich and Peru 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 | — |
| School district | — | Ipswich | Florida |
| High school in town | — | Ipswich High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.0 |
— |
| 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.