What stands out worked out from the figures below

Reading has the highest household income ($166k).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Reading	Swampscott
People
Population	25,612Highest	15,277Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA	44.5±3.5Highest 11% above MA
	Swampscott and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4%	20.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Reading and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9%	20.4%±2.6Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Reading and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	66.3%Highest MA: 47.3%	62.2%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.7%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9%
	Swampscott and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA	$134,386±$23kLowest 29% above MA
	Reading and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA	$771,100±$41kLowest 37% above MA
	Reading and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,991±$273Lowest 13% above MA	$2,303±$143Highest 31% above MA
	Swampscott and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,320Highest 56% above MA	$7,936Lowest 32% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8%	57%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	3.2%Lowest MA: 10%	7.1%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.4%Highest MA: 62.5%	75.9%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1960Highest 4 yrs older than MA	1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minLowest 6% above MA	34 minHighest 18% above MA
Work from home	30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6%	27.2%±4.6Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Reading 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	#50 of 282 in MA	#76 of 282 in MA
School district	—	Swampscott
High school in town	—	Swampscott High
Students per teacherat that high school	—	11.7
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.