Championship-bound Ipswich were looking to bow out of the top flight on a high, but it was the visitors who dominated the opening stages.
Making his 50th Premier League (PL) appearance, Axel Tuanzebe nearly put through his own net inside five minutes, but his blushes were spared by the outstretched leg of goalkeeper Christian Walton.
The Tractor Boys responded in kind, with Omari Hutchinson’s strike calling Łukasz Fabiański into action on his final appearance for the Hammers, but the veteran stopper was equal to the task.
After a lull typical of a final-day dead rubber, Nathan Broadhead sparked the contest into life with a fierce strike that Fabiański did well to palm to safety.
Kieran McKenna’s men appeared to be heading to the interval all square, but another costly defensive error cost them dearly as West Ham netted in the 43rd minute. Sam Morsy’s misplaced pass allowed Bowen to pounce on the loose ball and tee up James Ward-Prowse, who accepted the gift by firing past Walton.
Having had a sight of goal before the break, Broadhead struck at the second time of asking seven after the restart. The Welshman skipped past Jean-Clair Todibo and unleashed a rocket that Fabiański simply could not stop despite getting a hand to it for just his second PL goal of the campaign.
However, parity was short-lived, as three minutes later Bowen blasted the Hammers back in front with an unstoppable effort that flew past Walton.
Looking to atone for his earlier error, Morsy’s half-volley on the hour mark forced Fabiański into a routine save, as McKenna waited a further 10 minutes before introducing Liam Delap.
In response, Graham Potter called on Mohammed Kudus to inject some life into the game, and it proved a masterstroke as the Ghanaian curled an exquisite effort into the corner of the net in the 87th minute to put the game to bed.
Only a second win from their last 11 matches for West Ham concludes a disappointing 2024/25 PL campaign, which sees the Hammers finish in 14th. Meanwhile, Ipswich now seek an immediate return to the top-flight, but will face difficulties with a number of high-profile players expected to leave the club in the summer.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United)