Compare towns
Marblehead vs Dalton 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).
Dalton has the most affordable homes ($296k median).
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 | Dalton | Swampscott |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,413Highest |
6,256Lowest |
15,277 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% MA: +7.4% |
-6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.1±2 23% above MA |
49.7±5.8Highest 24% above MA |
44.5±3.5Lowest 11% above MA |
| Dalton and Marblehead 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% |
20.6%±4.7 MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Marblehead and Dalton 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% |
27.9%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±2.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Dalton 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% |
44.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62.2% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1 MA: 7.9% |
2.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Swampscott and Marblehead 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 |
$79,438±$8kLowest 24% below MA |
$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 |
$295,700±$26kLowest 47% below MA |
$771,100±$41k 37% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,764±$147 about the MA average |
$872±$70Lowest 51% below MA |
$2,303±$143Highest 31% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,309Highest 39% above MA |
$4,276Lowest 29% below MA |
$7,936 32% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.5%±8.8 MA: 51.8% |
41.2%±19Lowest 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% |
7.4%Highest MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
1957Highest 7 yrs older than MA |
1955 9 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 13% above MA |
22 minLowest 24% below MA |
34 minHighest 18% above MA |
| Work from home | 34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±7.1Lowest 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 | #192 of 282 in MA | #76 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Marblehead | Central Berkshire | Swampscott |
| High school in town | Marblehead High | Wahconah Regional High | Swampscott High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
10.9 |
11.7Highest |
| 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.