Compare towns
Rowley vs Swampscott vs Ipswich
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
Bordering RowleyRowley
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rowley has the most affordable homes ($615k median).
Swampscott has the most people working from home (27.2%).
Ipswich has the highest household income ($139k).
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 | Rowley | Swampscott | Ipswich |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,708Lowest |
15,277Highest |
13,930 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.3±16.7 16% above MA |
44.5±3.5Lowest 11% above MA |
47.2±3.5Highest 18% 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 | 18.3%±6.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.9%±2.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Swampscott and Ipswich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.3%±4.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±2.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2.4 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+ | 57.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
60.2% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.4%±5.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Rowley and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $109,622±$17kLowest 5% above MA |
$134,386±$23k 29% above MA |
$138,750±$16kHighest 33% above MA |
| Ipswich and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $614,800±$39kLowest 9% above MA |
$771,100±$41kHighest 37% above MA |
$745,400±$40k 33% above MA |
| Swampscott and Ipswich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,663±$674 6% below MA |
$2,303±$143Highest 31% above MA |
$1,598±$90Lowest 9% below MA |
| Swampscott and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,865Lowest 15% above MA |
$7,936 32% above MA |
$7,960Highest 33% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.3%±45.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.5%±12.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Swampscott and Ipswich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.1% MA: 10% |
7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
5.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.9% MA: 62.5% |
74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1955 9 yrs older than MA |
1964Highest same as MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 15% below MA |
34 minHighest 18% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 10.9%±5.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
27.2%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
18.9%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Swampscott 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 | #214 of 282 in MA | #76 of 282 in MA | #101 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Swampscott | Ipswich |
| High school in town | — | Swampscott High | Ipswich High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.7Highest |
9.0Lowest |
| 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.