Compare towns
Rowley vs Wareham vs Ipswich vs Edgartown
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rowley has the most kids (19.3% under 18).
Wareham has the most affordable homes ($425k median).
Ipswich has the most renters (25.6% rent).
Edgartown has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.1%).
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 | Wareham | Ipswich | Edgartown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,251 |
23,302Highest |
13,930 |
5,278Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
+4.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+27.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50±6.3 25% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
47.2±3.5Lowest 18% above MA |
51.9±8.6 30% above MA |
| Wareham and Edgartown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.3%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
18.9%±2.7 MA: 19.4% |
10%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Rowley and Ipswich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±4.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2.4 MA: 17.9% |
29.7%±8.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Edgartown and Wareham 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% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
60.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
56.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±3.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham 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 |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
$138,750±$16kHighest 33% above MA |
$125,236±$33k 20% 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 |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
$745,400±$40k 33% above MA |
$1,199,300±$262kHighest 113% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,603±$520 9% below MA |
$1,504±$180Lowest 15% below MA |
$1,598±$90 9% below MA |
$1,796±$470Highest about the MA average |
| Edgartown and Rowley 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 |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
$7,960 33% above MA |
$5,641 6% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.7%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
51.5%±12.2 MA: 51.8% |
30%±35.6Lowest 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% |
6.7%Highest MA: 10% |
5.7% MA: 10% |
4.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.7% MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1964 same as MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 3% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
12 minLowest 60% below MA |
| Work from home | 11.1%±4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
18.9%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
25.6%±15.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Edgartown 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 | #272 of 282 in MA | #101 of 282 in MA | #242 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Triton | Wareham | Ipswich | Edgartown |
| High school in town | None in town | Wareham Senior High | Ipswich High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.6Lowest |
9.0Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.