Compare towns
Marblehead vs Dunbarton 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).
Dunbarton has the most affordable homes ($484k median).
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 | Dunbarton | Swampscott |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,413Highest |
3,097Lowest |
15,277 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.1±2Highest 26% above U.S. |
48±3.7 23% above U.S. |
44.5±3.5Lowest 14% above U.S. |
| Marblehead and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.3%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Marblehead and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Marblehead and Dunbarton 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 126% above U.S. |
$124,348±$21kLowest 54% 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. |
$484,100±$33kLowest 46% above U.S. |
$771,100±$41k 132% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,764±$147 25% above U.S. |
$1,166±$70Lowest 17% below U.S. |
$2,303±$143Highest 63% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,309Highest 166% above U.S. |
$8,233 164% above U.S. |
$7,936Lowest 154% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.5%±8.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.7%±60.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
57%±14.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Swampscott and Dunbarton 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% |
3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1955 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minLowest 25% above U.S. |
34 min 27% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 34%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #33 of 120 in NH | #76 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Marblehead | Dunbarton School District | Swampscott |
| High school in town | Marblehead High | None in town | Swampscott High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
— | 11.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.