Compare towns
Bedford vs Upton vs Maynard 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 most people working from home (32.4%).
Upton has the most homeowners (86.7%).
Maynard has the most affordable homes ($527k median).
Swampscott has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.6%).
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.
| Measure | Bedford | Upton | Maynard | Swampscott |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 14,727 |
8,189Lowest |
10,712 |
15,277Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±1.6Lowest 11% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
45.3±4.3 13% above MA |
44.5±3.5 11% above MA |
| Upton and Maynard 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±4.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton 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% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±3.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±2.6 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Swampscott 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% |
53.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
64.2% MA: 47.3% |
62.2% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.5%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Bedford and Swampscott 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 |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$124,067±$16kLowest 19% above MA |
$134,386±$23k 29% above MA |
| Bedford and Upton 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 |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$527,400±$31kLowest 6% below MA |
$771,100±$41k 37% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,622±$327Highest 49% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,800±$148 about the MA average |
$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 |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$8,266 38% above MA |
$7,936Lowest 32% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42%±9.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
44.9%±9.6 MA: 51.8% |
57%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Swampscott and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.5% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.3%Highest MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75% MA: 62.5% |
75.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
34 min 18% above MA |
| Work from home | 32.4%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.9%±7.7 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #166 of 282 in MA | #76 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bedford | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Maynard | Swampscott |
| High school in town | Bedford High | Blackstone Valley | Maynard High | Swampscott High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
11.2 |
9.7Lowest |
11.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.