Compare towns
Lynn vs Swampscott vs Nahant
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lynn has the most renters (51.9% rent).
Swampscott has the most people working from home (27.2%).
Nahant has the oldest population (median age 60.7).
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 | Lynn | Swampscott | Nahant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 101,709Highest |
15,277 |
3,325Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6% MA: +7.4% |
-2.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.5±1.2Lowest 9% below MA |
44.5±3.5 11% above MA |
60.7±2.9Highest 52% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 24.1%±1.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
11%±3.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Lynn and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13.7%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±2.6 MA: 17.9% |
36.2%±6.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
61.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±0.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Lynn and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,043±$3kLowest 28% below MA |
$134,386±$23kHighest 29% above MA |
$112,762±$6k 8% above MA |
| Swampscott and Nahant are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $510,100±$23kLowest 9% below MA |
$771,100±$41kHighest 37% above MA |
$748,800±$99k 33% above MA |
| Swampscott and Nahant are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,722±$60Lowest about the MA average |
$2,303±$143Highest 31% above MA |
$1,777±$334 about the MA average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,384Lowest 10% below MA |
$7,936Highest 32% above MA |
$6,615 10% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±4.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
57%±14.2 MA: 51.8% |
53.5%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lynn and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.8%Highest MA: 10% |
7.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.9% MA: 62.5% |
78.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1946 18 yrs older than MA |
1955Highest 9 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minLowest 8% above MA |
34 minHighest 18% above MA |
32 min 10% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.9%±1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
27.2%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
18.7%±5.7 MA: 18.6% |
| Swampscott and Nahant 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 | #277 of 282 in MA | #76 of 282 in MA | #129 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lynn | Swampscott | Nahant |
| High school in town | Lynn English High | Swampscott High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.0Highest |
11.7Lowest |
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| 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.