Ipswich, MA

Clams, castles, and colonial charm

Founded in 1634 by John Winthrop the Younger, Ipswich is one of the most historic towns in America — and it wears that history everywhere. With 60 First Period homes (the most in the country), the oldest continuously operating farm in America at Appleton Farms, and a 59-room Gilded Age mansion overlooking the sea at Castle Hill, this is a town where centuries of stories are built right into the landscape.

But Ipswich is far more than a history lesson. Home to roughly 14,000 residents across 32 square miles of beaches, salt marsh, and rolling farmland, it's a place where median household incomes reach $124,000, nearly 60% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the median age of 48 reflects a community of established professionals drawn to the quality of life only a town like this can offer. And then there are the clams — the Clam Box has been a North Shore pilgrimage since 1935, and if you've never stood in that line on a July afternoon, you haven't done summer right.

It's also a fiercely competitive real estate market. Here's what the data shows.