Compare towns
Hadley vs Maynard vs Swampscott vs Upton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hadley has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Swampscott has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.6%).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
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 | Hadley | Maynard | Swampscott | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,306Lowest |
10,712 |
15,277Highest |
8,189 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±7.1 15% above MA |
45.3±4.3 13% above MA |
44.5±3.5Lowest 11% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
| Upton and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±4.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±4.3 MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.2%±4.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±3.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±2.6 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Hadley and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 61.3% MA: 47.3% |
64.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
62.2% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.9%±5.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.5%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Hadley and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $119,259±$12kLowest 15% above MA |
$124,067±$16k 19% above MA |
$134,386±$23k 29% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
| Upton and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $511,000±$43kLowest 9% below MA |
$527,400±$31k 6% below MA |
$771,100±$41kHighest 37% above MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,402±$132 20% below MA |
$1,800±$148 about the MA average |
$2,303±$143Highest 31% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,271Lowest 12% below MA |
$8,266 38% above MA |
$7,936 32% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.6%±18.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
44.9%±9.6 MA: 51.8% |
57%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 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 | 6.4% MA: 10% |
8.3%Highest MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75% MA: 62.5% |
75.9% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 33% below MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
34 min 18% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 20.1%±7.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.9%±7.7 MA: 18.6% |
27.2%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 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 | #116 of 282 in MA | #166 of 282 in MA | #76 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hadley | Maynard | Swampscott | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Hopkins Academy | Maynard High | Swampscott High | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.3Lowest |
9.7 |
11.7Highest |
11.2 |
| 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.