Compare towns
Marblehead vs New Gloucester vs Ogunquit vs Swampscott
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Marblehead has the highest household income ($182k).
New Gloucester has the most affordable homes ($357k median).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Swampscott has the most renters (24.1% rent).
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 | Marblehead | New Gloucester | Ogunquit | Swampscott |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,413Highest |
5,766 |
1,379Lowest |
15,277 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.1±2 26% above U.S. |
40.1±5.5Lowest 3% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
44.5±3.5 14% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22.3%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
24.2%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
| New Gloucester and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 78.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Swampscott and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $182,132±$28kHighest 126% above U.S. |
$108,797±$12kLowest 35% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$134,386±$23k 66% above U.S. |
| Marblehead and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $943,900±$31kHighest 184% above U.S. |
$357,100±$29kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79k 163% above U.S. |
$771,100±$41k 132% above U.S. |
| Marblehead and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,764±$147 25% above U.S. |
$1,150±$249Lowest 19% below U.S. |
— | $2,303±$143Highest 63% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,309Highest 166% above U.S. |
$3,417Lowest 10% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$7,936 154% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.5%±8.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
24.7%±12 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57%±14.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Swampscott and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1955 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 25% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 34%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.2%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Marblehead 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 | #47 of 282 in MA | #65 of 133 in ME | — | #76 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | RSU 15/MSAD 15 | — | Swampscott |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | Swampscott High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 11.7 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.