Compare towns
Bourne 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
Bourne has the shortest commute (26 min average).
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 | Bourne | Maynard | Swampscott |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,323Highest |
10,712Lowest |
15,277 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8Highest 30% above MA |
45.3±4.3 13% above MA |
44.5±3.5Lowest 11% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±4.3 MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Swampscott and Maynard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±3.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±2.6 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
64.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
62.2% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Bourne and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,058±$7kLowest 12% below MA |
$124,067±$16k 19% above MA |
$134,386±$23kHighest 29% above MA |
| Swampscott and Maynard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $575,600±$28k about the MA average |
$527,400±$31kLowest 6% below MA |
$771,100±$41kHighest 37% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,379±$300Lowest 22% below MA |
$1,800±$148 about the MA average |
$2,303±$143Highest 31% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,485Lowest 25% below MA |
$8,266Highest 38% above MA |
$7,936 32% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
44.9%±9.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57%±14.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.3%Highest MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% MA: 62.5% |
75%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 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 |
32 min 9% above MA |
34 minHighest 18% above MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.9%±7.7 MA: 18.6% |
27.2%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Swampscott and Maynard 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 | #206 of 282 in MA | #166 of 282 in MA | #76 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Maynard | Swampscott |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Maynard High | Swampscott High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8 |
9.7Lowest |
11.7Highest |
| 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.