Compare towns
Rowley vs Auburn vs Ipswich
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rowley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).
Auburn has the most affordable homes ($400k median).
Ipswich has the most people working from home (18.9%).
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 | Auburn | Ipswich |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,251Lowest |
16,970Highest |
13,930 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50±6.3Highest 25% above MA |
44.8±1.6Lowest 12% above MA |
47.2±3.5 18% above MA |
| Rowley and Ipswich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.3%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
21%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.9%±2.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Auburn and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±4.1 MA: 17.9% |
20.9%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Ipswich and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 56.8% MA: 47.3% |
45.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
60.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Auburn and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $132,734±$32k 28% above MA |
$116,711±$10kLowest 12% above MA |
$138,750±$16kHighest 33% 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 | $667,300±$52k 19% above MA |
$400,000±$16kLowest 29% below MA |
$745,400±$40kHighest 33% above MA |
| Ipswich and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,603±$520Highest 9% below MA |
$1,467±$155Lowest 17% below MA |
$1,598±$90 9% 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 | $8,309Highest 39% above MA |
$5,289Lowest 12% below MA |
$7,960 33% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.7%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±10.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.5%±12.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Rowley and Ipswich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
5.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
79.6% MA: 62.5% |
74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1964 same as MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 3% below MA |
26 minLowest 12% below MA |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 11.1%±4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14.1%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
18.9%±3.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Ipswich and Auburn 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 | #106 of 282 in MA | #101 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Triton | Auburn | Ipswich |
| High school in town | None in town | Auburn Senior High | Ipswich High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Highest |
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.