Compare towns
Marblehead vs Scituate 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).
Scituate has the oldest population (median age 51.7).
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 | Scituate | Swampscott |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,413Highest |
5,796Lowest |
15,277 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.1% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.1±2 23% above MA |
51.7±3.8Highest 29% above MA |
44.5±3.5Lowest 11% above MA |
| Scituate 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% |
22.1%±4.8 MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Marblehead and Scituate 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% |
27.3%±5Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±2.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Scituate 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% |
64.7% MA: 47.3% |
62.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1 MA: 7.9% |
3.1%±1.5Lowest 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 |
$124,549±$27kLowest 20% 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 |
$821,600±$82k 46% above MA |
$771,100±$41kLowest 37% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,764±$147 about the MA average |
$884±$721Lowest 50% below MA |
$2,303±$143Highest 31% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,309 39% above MA |
$8,345Highest 39% above MA |
$7,936Lowest 32% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.5%±8.8 MA: 51.8% |
46.4%±8Lowest 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% MA: 10% |
3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83% MA: 62.5% |
75.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA |
1955 9 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minLowest 13% above MA |
42 minHighest 44% above MA |
34 min 18% above MA |
| Work from home | 34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
26.6%±4.7Lowest 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 | #43 of 282 in MA | #76 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Marblehead | — | Swampscott |
| High school in town | Marblehead High | — | 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.