Compare towns
Beverly vs Marblehead vs Swampscott
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Beverly has the most renters (39.9% rent).
Marblehead has the highest household income ($182k).
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 | Beverly | Marblehead | Swampscott |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 42,665Highest |
20,413 |
15,277Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8% MA: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
44.5±3.5 11% above MA |
| Marblehead and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Marblehead and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±2.6 MA: 17.9% |
| Marblehead and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
78.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
62.2% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.3%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,044±$7kLowest about the MA average |
$182,132±$28kHighest 75% above MA |
$134,386±$23k 29% above MA |
| Marblehead and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $650,300±$13kLowest 16% above MA |
$943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA |
$771,100±$41k 37% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,771±$106 about the MA average |
$1,764±$147Lowest about the MA average |
$2,303±$143Highest 31% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,836Lowest 14% above MA |
$8,309Highest 39% above MA |
$7,936 32% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.5%±7.2 MA: 51.8% |
49.5%±8.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Swampscott and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.4%Highest MA: 10% |
4.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 60.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Highest 8 yrs older than MA |
1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
1955 9 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 3% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
34 minHighest 18% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.3%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
27.2%±4.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Marblehead 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 | #144 of 282 in MA | #47 of 282 in MA | #76 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Beverly | Marblehead | Swampscott |
| High school in town | Beverly High | Marblehead High | Swampscott High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Highest |
10.7Lowest |
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.