Compare towns
Marblehead vs Ayer 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 highest household income ($182k).
Ayer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).
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 | Ayer | Swampscott |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,413Highest |
8,645Lowest |
15,277 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
39.2±2.8Lowest about the MA average |
44.5±3.5 11% above MA |
| Marblehead and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.3%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.3%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Marblehead and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±2.6 MA: 17.9% |
| Marblehead and Swampscott 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% |
42.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62.2% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Swampscott and Ayer 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 |
$101,875±$15kLowest about the MA average |
$134,386±$23k 29% above MA |
| 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 68% above MA |
$463,800±$29kLowest 17% below MA |
$771,100±$41k 37% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,764±$147 about the MA average |
$1,415±$180Lowest 20% below MA |
$2,303±$143Highest 31% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,309Highest 39% above MA |
$5,057Lowest 16% below MA |
$7,936 32% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.5%±8.8 MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±14.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| 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%Lowest MA: 10% |
10.7%Highest MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1955 9 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minLowest 13% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
34 minHighest 18% above MA |
| Work from home | 34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±5.9Lowest 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 | #113 of 282 in MA | #76 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Marblehead | Ayer Shirley School District | — |
| High school in town | Marblehead High | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
11.5Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.