Compare towns
Exeter vs Marblehead vs Swampscott vs Newfields
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Exeter has the most affordable homes ($457k median).
Marblehead has the most people working from home (34%).
Newfields has the most homeowners (95.3%).
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 | Exeter | Marblehead | Swampscott | Newfields |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151 |
20,413Highest |
15,277 |
2,023Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
49.1±2Highest 26% above U.S. |
44.5±3.5 14% above U.S. |
44.1±1.8Lowest 13% above U.S. |
| Marblehead and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.3%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Marblehead and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
78.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
68.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.5%±7.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Newfields and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $110,346±$13kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$182,132±$28k 126% above U.S. |
$134,386±$23k 66% above U.S. |
$197,885±$15kHighest 145% above U.S. |
| Newfields and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$943,900±$31kHighest 184% above U.S. |
$771,100±$41k 132% above U.S. |
$646,400±$34k 94% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$1,764±$147Lowest 25% above U.S. |
$2,303±$143Highest 63% above U.S. |
$1,875±$323 33% above U.S. |
| Swampscott and Newfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814 183% above U.S. |
$8,309 166% above U.S. |
$7,936Lowest 154% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.5%±8.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
57%±14.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.3%±40.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
1955 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
34%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.5%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #47 of 282 in MA | #76 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Marblehead | Swampscott | Newfields School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Marblehead High | Swampscott High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
10.7Lowest |
11.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 59 photos → | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.