Compare towns
Marblehead vs Upton vs Acton vs Swampscott
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Marblehead has the most expensive homes ($944k median).
Upton has the most affordable homes ($577k median).
Acton has the most people working from home (35.9%).
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 | Upton | Acton | Swampscott |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,413 |
8,189Lowest |
24,155Highest |
15,277 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
44.5±0.8Lowest 11% above MA |
44.5±3.5Lowest 11% above MA |
| Marblehead and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.3%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±2.6 MA: 17.9% |
| Marblehead and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 78.3% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
79.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
62.2% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Acton and Swampscott 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 75% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$158,230±$14k 52% above MA |
$134,386±$23kLowest 29% above MA |
| Marblehead and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA |
$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
$807,300±$20k 44% above MA |
$771,100±$41k 37% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,764±$147 about the MA average |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,986±$155 13% above MA |
$2,303±$143Highest 31% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,309 39% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$7,936Lowest 32% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.5%±8.8 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
47.7%±11.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57%±14.2Highest 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 | 4.4% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.4% MA: 10% |
7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1955 9 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minLowest 13% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
35 min 19% above MA |
34 min 18% above MA |
| Work from home | 34%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
35.9%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
27.2%±4.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Acton 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #13 of 282 in MA | #76 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Acton-Boxborough | — |
| High school in town | — | Blackstone Valley | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Lowest |
13.5Highest |
— |
| 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.