Compare towns
Salem vs Swampscott vs Upton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Salem has the most renters (50.3% rent).
Swampscott has the most expensive homes ($771k median).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
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 | Salem | Swampscott | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 44,795Highest |
15,277 |
8,189Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
44.5±3.5 11% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
| Upton and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±2.6 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
$134,386±$23k 29% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
| Upton and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $542,800±$18kLowest 3% below MA |
$771,100±$41kHighest 37% above MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,836±$84 4% above MA |
$2,303±$143Highest 31% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,114Lowest about the MA average |
$7,936 32% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.9%±4.8 MA: 51.8% |
57%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Swampscott and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.9% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1955 9 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
34 min 18% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 21.6%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
27.2%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Swampscott and Upton 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 | #248 of 282 in MA | #76 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Salem | Swampscott | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Salem High | Swampscott High | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
11.7Highest |
11.2 |
| 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.