What stands out worked out from the figures below

Stow has the highest household income ($186k).

Swampscott has the most renters (24.1% rent).

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	Stow	Swampscott
People
Population	7,165Lowest	15,277Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8.9%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	44.1±4.4Lowest 10% above MA	44.5±3.5Highest 11% above MA
	Swampscott and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.3%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4%	20.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Stow and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 17.9%	20.4%±2.6Highest MA: 17.9%
	Swampscott and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	75.1%Highest MA: 47.3%	62.2%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.7%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9%
	Swampscott and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$185,809±$22kHighest 79% above MA	$134,386±$23kLowest 29% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$729,600±$39kLowest 30% above MA	$771,100±$41kHighest 37% above MA
	Swampscott and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,782±$126Lowest about the MA average	$2,303±$143Highest 31% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA	$7,936Lowest 32% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8%	57%±14.2Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Stow and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.2%Lowest MA: 10%	7.1%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85.4%Highest MA: 62.5%	75.9%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA	1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	36 minHighest 23% above MA	34 minLowest 18% above MA
Work from home	36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6%	27.2%±4.6Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Stow 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	#44 of 282 in MA	#76 of 282 in MA
School district	Nashoba	Swampscott
High school in town	None 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.