What stands out worked out from the figures below

Scituate has the most homeowners (87.8%).

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	Scituate	Swampscott
People
Population	19,365Highest	15,277Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	47.1±3.1Highest 18% above MA	44.5±3.5Lowest 11% above MA
	Scituate and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.2%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4%	20.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Scituate and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.2%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9%	20.4%±2.6Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Scituate and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	66.8%Highest MA: 47.3%	62.2%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.1%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.7%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9%
	Swampscott and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$136,732±$16kHighest 32% above MA	$134,386±$23kLowest 29% above MA
	Scituate and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$847,600±$25kHighest 51% above MA	$771,100±$41kLowest 37% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,609±$311Lowest 9% below MA	$2,303±$143Highest 31% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,807Highest 47% above MA	$7,936Lowest 32% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.7%±10.3Lowest MA: 51.8%	57%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8%
	Swampscott and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2.9%Lowest MA: 10%	7.1%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.8%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	38 minHighest 31% above MA	34 minLowest 18% above MA
Work from home	28%±4Highest MA: 18.6%	27.2%±4.6Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Scituate 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	#43 of 282 in MA	#76 of 282 in MA
School district	Scituate	Swampscott
High school in town	Scituate High School	Swampscott High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.3Lowest	11.7Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.