Compare towns
Ipswich vs Swampscott vs Swampscott
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ipswich has the shortest commute (29 min average).
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 | Ipswich | Swampscott | Swampscott |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,930Lowest |
15,277Highest |
15,277Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.2±3.5Highest 18% above MA |
44.5±3.5Lowest 11% above MA |
44.5±3.5Lowest 11% above MA |
| Ipswich and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±2.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±2.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Ipswich and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
62.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $138,750±$16kHighest 33% above MA |
$134,386±$23kLowest 29% above MA |
$134,386±$23kLowest 29% above MA |
| Ipswich and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $745,400±$40kLowest 33% above MA |
$771,100±$41kHighest 37% above MA |
$771,100±$41kHighest 37% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,598±$90Lowest 9% below MA |
$2,303±$143Highest 31% above MA |
$2,303±$143Highest 31% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,960Highest 33% above MA |
$7,936Lowest 32% above MA |
$7,936Lowest 32% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±12.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
57%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 5.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Highest same as MA |
1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
34 minHighest 18% above MA |
34 minHighest 18% above MA |
| Work from home | 18.9%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
27.2%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
27.2%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #101 of 282 in MA | #76 of 282 in MA | #76 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ipswich | — | Swampscott |
| High school in town | Ipswich High | — | Swampscott High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
— | 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.