Compare towns
Rowley vs Reading 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%).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
Ipswich has the most renters (25.6% rent).
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 | Reading | Ipswich |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,251Lowest |
25,612Highest |
13,930 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50±6.3Highest 25% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% 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% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.9%±2.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Reading 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% |
20.7%±2.3Lowest 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
60.2% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Rowley and Ipswich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $132,734±$32kLowest 28% above MA |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$138,750±$16k 33% above MA |
| Reading and Ipswich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $667,300±$52kLowest 19% above MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$745,400±$40k 33% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,603±$520 9% below MA |
$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$1,598±$90Lowest 9% below MA |
| Reading and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,309 39% above MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$7,960Lowest 33% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.7%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest 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% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
5.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.7% MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1964 same as MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 3% below MA |
31 minHighest 6% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 11.1%±4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
18.9%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #214 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #101 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Triton | Reading | Ipswich |
| High school in town | None in town | Reading Memorial 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.