What stands out worked out from the figures below

Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k median).

Ipswich has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.6%).

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	Townsend	Ipswich
People
Population	9,100Lowest	13,930Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+4.6%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average	47.2±3.5Highest 18% above MA
	Ipswich and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4%	18.9%±2.7Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Townsend and Ipswich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9%	21.9%±2.4Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%	60.2%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9%	4.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Townsend and Ipswich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$121,528±$23kLowest 17% above MA	$138,750±$16kHighest 33% above MA
	Ipswich and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$433,200±$22kLowest 23% below MA	$745,400±$40kHighest 33% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,469±$313Lowest 17% below MA	$1,598±$90Highest 9% below MA
	Ipswich and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,031Lowest about the MA average	$7,960Highest 33% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.6%±16.8Lowest MA: 51.8%	51.5%±12.2Highest MA: 51.8%
	Ipswich and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.9%Highest MA: 10%	5.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82%Highest MA: 62.5%	74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA	1964Lowest same as MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	37 minHighest 27% above MA	29 minLowest about the MA average
Work from home	10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6%	18.9%±3.8Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#136 of 282 in MA	#101 of 282 in MA
School district	North Middlesex	Ipswich
High school in town	North Middlesex Regional	Ipswich High
Students per teacherat that high school	13.1Highest	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.