What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hingham has the most expensive homes ($1134k median).

Swampscott has the most affordable homes ($771k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Hingham	Swampscott
People
Population	24,283Highest	15,277Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.6% MA: +7.4%	+9.6% MA: +7.4%
Median age	48.4±2.4Highest 21% above MA	44.5±3.5Lowest 11% above MA
	Hingham and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	23.4%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4%	20.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Hingham and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	26%±2.6Highest MA: 17.9%	20.4%±2.6Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	76.2%Highest MA: 47.3%	62.2%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.9%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.7%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9%
	Swampscott and Hingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$178,390±$15kHighest 72% above MA	$134,386±$23kLowest 29% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$1,134,200±$47kHighest 102% above MA	$771,100±$41kLowest 37% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,465±$603Highest 40% above MA	$2,303±$143Lowest 31% above MA
	Hingham 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	$7,936Lowest 32% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	60.3%±12Highest MA: 51.8%	57%±14.2Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Hingham and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.3%Lowest MA: 10%	7.1%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	80.7%Highest MA: 62.5%	75.9%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA	1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	36 minHighest 24% above MA	34 minLowest 18% above MA
Work from home	33.1%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6%	27.2%±4.6Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Hingham 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	#14 of 282 in MA	#76 of 282 in MA
School district	Hingham	Swampscott
High school in town	Hingham High	Swampscott High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.9Highest	11.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.