Compare towns
Sutton vs Swampscott vs Lancaster vs Douglas
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sutton has the shortest commute (30 min average).
Swampscott has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.6%).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Douglas has the most affordable homes ($471k median).
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 | Sutton | Swampscott | Lancaster | Douglas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,452 |
15,277Highest |
8,606Lowest |
9,207 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
44.5±3.5Highest 11% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
44±2.6 10% above MA |
| Swampscott and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Douglas and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±2.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Swampscott and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.8% MA: 47.3% |
62.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
41.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Douglas and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $147,125±$25k 42% above MA |
$134,386±$23kLowest 29% above MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$152,267±$10kHighest 46% above MA |
| Douglas and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $523,100±$47k 7% below MA |
$771,100±$41kHighest 37% above MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$470,600±$29kLowest 16% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
$2,303±$143 31% above MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,503±$697 15% below MA |
| Lancaster and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,763 13% above MA |
$7,936Highest 32% above MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$6,338Lowest 6% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
57%±14.2 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.8% MA: 10% |
7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
83.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest about the MA average |
34 minHighest 18% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
34 min 16% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
27.2%±4.6 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.9%±4.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster 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 | #105 of 282 in MA | #76 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #177 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sutton | Swampscott | Nashoba | Douglas |
| High school in town | Sutton High School | Swampscott High | None in town | Douglas High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6Highest |
11.7 |
— | 7.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.