Compare towns
Marblehead vs Pelham 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).
Pelham has the most affordable homes ($448k 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 | Pelham | Swampscott |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,413Highest |
1,335Lowest |
15,277 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% MA: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
45±8.4 13% above MA |
44.5±3.5Lowest 11% above MA |
| Marblehead and Pelham 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% |
21%±4.6 MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Marblehead and Pelham 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% |
26.7%±6.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±2.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Pelham 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% |
64.8% MA: 47.3% |
62.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1 MA: 7.9% |
2%±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 |
$113,750±$24kLowest 9% above 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 |
$447,600±$33kLowest 20% below MA |
$771,100±$41k 37% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,764±$147 about the MA average |
$1,205±$560Lowest 32% below MA |
$2,303±$143Highest 31% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,309Highest 39% above MA |
$7,472Lowest 25% above MA |
$7,936 32% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.5%±8.8 MA: 51.8% |
42.7%±35.2Lowest 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% |
10.3%Highest MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
79.1% MA: 62.5% |
75.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
1958Highest 6 yrs older than MA |
1955 9 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 13% above MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
34 minHighest 18% above MA |
| Work from home | 34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
32.8%±7.4 MA: 18.6% |
27.2%±4.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Marblehead and Pelham 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 | — | #76 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Marblehead | Pelham | 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 |
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.