Compare towns
Bedford vs Dracut vs Swampscott
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bedford has the highest household income ($172k).
Dracut has the most affordable homes ($474k median).
Swampscott has the oldest housing (typical home built 1955).
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.
| Measure | Bedford | Dracut | Swampscott |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,727Lowest |
32,574Highest |
15,277 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±1.6 11% above MA |
41.7±2Lowest 4% above MA |
44.5±3.5Highest 11% above MA |
| Swampscott and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±2.7 MA: 19.4% |
21.4%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Dracut and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±2.6 MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±2.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Swampscott and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 69.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
36.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62.2% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Bedford and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,400±$23kHighest 66% above MA |
$114,036±$10kLowest 10% above MA |
$134,386±$23k 29% above MA |
| Bedford and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $898,500±$43kHighest 60% above MA |
$473,900±$17kLowest 16% below MA |
$771,100±$41k 37% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,622±$327Highest 49% above MA |
$1,839±$130Lowest 4% above MA |
$2,303±$143 31% above MA |
| Bedford and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$5,375Lowest 10% below MA |
$7,936 32% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42%±9.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.6%±7.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
57%±14.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Dracut and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.8%Highest MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
79.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
34 minHighest 18% above MA |
| Work from home | 32.4%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.4%±2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
27.2%±4.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Bedford and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #7 of 282 in MA | #201 of 282 in MA | #76 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bedford | Dracut | Swampscott |
| High school in town | Bedford High | Dracut Senior High | Swampscott High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
12.9Highest |
11.7 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.