What stands out worked out from the figures below

Somerville has the most people working from home (31.3%).

Ipswich has the most homeowners (74.4%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Somerville	Ipswich
People
Population	81,036Highest	13,930Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7%Highest MA: +7.4%	+4.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	31.9±0.6Lowest 20% below MA	47.2±3.5Highest 18% above MA
Kids under 18	9.8%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4%	18.9%±2.7Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	10%±0.8Lowest MA: 17.9%	21.9%±2.4Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	69.4%Highest MA: 47.3%	60.2%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	12.8%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9%	4.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$132,572±$6kLowest 28% above MA	$138,750±$16kHighest 33% above MA
	Ipswich and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$911,300±$26kHighest 62% above MA	$745,400±$40kLowest 33% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,517±$64Highest 43% above MA	$1,598±$90Lowest 9% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,186Lowest 3% above MA	$7,960Highest 33% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	36.2%±2.9Lowest MA: 51.8%	51.5%±12.2Highest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	9.8%Highest MA: 10%	5.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	34.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%	74.4%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA	1964Highest same as MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 7% above MA	29 minLowest about the MA average
Work from home	31.3%±2.2Highest MA: 18.6%	18.9%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#225 of 282 in MA	#101 of 282 in MA
School district	Somerville	Ipswich
High school in town	Somerville High	Ipswich High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.2Highest	9.0Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.