Ipswich vs Rowley
You are paying about $100k more for a 4BR in Ipswich, and in exchange you get the stronger schools. That is the trade in plain terms: $100k for 12 MCAS percentile points inside the same tier.
Choose Ipswich if you want the stronger schools of the two, or the commute matters most.
All Ipswich numbers →Choose Rowley if you want the lower price.
All Rowley numbers →Side by side
The better of the two is highlighted on each row. Where a row is not highlighted, the two are close enough that calling a winner would be false precision.
| Ipswich | Rowley | |
|---|---|---|
| School tier | solid schoolsT3 | solid schoolsT3 |
| MCAS percentile | 78th | 66th |
| Niche district rank | 83rd of 236 | — |
| 4BR house | $900kT3 | $800kT2 |
| 2BR condo | $510k | $460k |
| Commute to Boston | 60 minT3 | 63 minT4 |
| MBTA rail | Commuter rail · ~58 min to terminal | Commuter rail · ~64 min to terminal |
| Tax rate | $11.50T2 | $13.00T3 |
| Est. tax bill on that 4BR | ≈$10,400 | ≈$10,400 |
| 3BR rent | $3,080/mo | $3,080/mo |
Prices are estimates calibrated to the Zillow Home Value Index and Redfin; tax rates are FY2026 residential rates and the bill applies that rate to the town’s own median 4BR estimate; commutes take the rail leg from the MBTA timetable and still model the drive; rents are HUD FY2026 Small Area Fair Market Rents. School tiers are editorial and shown next to the state’s own MCAS figures. Data last reviewed — see the methodology. This comparison never uses demographics as an input.
