Compare towns
Marblehead vs Needham vs Rowley 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%).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Rowley has the most affordable homes ($667k 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 | Needham | Rowley | Swampscott |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,413 |
32,459Highest |
6,251Lowest |
15,277 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.1±2 23% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
50±6.3Highest 25% above MA |
44.5±3.5 11% above MA |
| Rowley and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.3%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.3%±4.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.6%±4.1 MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±2.6 MA: 17.9% |
| Marblehead and Rowley 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% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
56.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62.2% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Needham and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $182,132±$28k 75% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$132,734±$32kLowest 28% above MA |
$134,386±$23k 29% above MA |
| Needham and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $943,900±$31k 68% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$667,300±$52kLowest 19% above MA |
$771,100±$41k 37% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,764±$147 about the MA average |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,603±$520Lowest 9% below MA |
$2,303±$143 31% above MA |
| Needham and Swampscott 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$8,309 39% above MA |
$7,936Lowest 32% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.5%±8.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
57%±14.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Rowley and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.4% MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
81.7% MA: 62.5% |
75.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1955 9 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 13% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
28 min 3% below MA |
34 minHighest 18% above MA |
| Work from home | 34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
11.1%±4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
27.2%±4.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Marblehead and Needham 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 | #19 of 282 in MA | #214 of 282 in MA | #76 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Marblehead | Needham | Triton | — |
| High school in town | Marblehead High | Needham High | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
11.9Highest |
— | — |
| 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.