Compare towns
Marblehead vs Upton vs Hull 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 people working from home (34%).
Upton has the most affordable homes ($577k median).
Hull has the oldest population (median age 56.1).
Swampscott has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.6%).
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 | Hull | Swampscott |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,413Highest |
8,189Lowest |
10,138 |
15,277 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
-2.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.1±2 23% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
56.1±1.8Highest 40% above MA |
44.5±3.5Lowest 11% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 22.3%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
11.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton 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 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
26.1%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±2.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Hull and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 78.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
50.4%Lowest 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% |
4.2%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Swampscott and Hull 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 |
$115,485±$14kLowest 11% above MA |
$134,386±$23k 29% above MA |
| Marblehead and Upton 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 |
$646,000±$38k 15% above MA |
$771,100±$41k 37% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,764±$147 about the MA average |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,081±$187 18% above MA |
$2,303±$143Highest 31% above MA |
| Swampscott and Hull are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,309 39% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$6,089Lowest about the MA average |
$7,936 32% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.5%±8.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±14 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% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
79.6% MA: 62.5% |
75.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1946 18 yrs older than MA |
1955 9 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minLowest 13% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
34 min 18% above MA |
| Work from home | 34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
19.7%±4.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
27.2%±4.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Marblehead 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 | #47 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #66 of 282 in MA | #76 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | — | — |
| High school in town | — | Blackstone Valley | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
— | — |
| 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.