Compare towns
Swampscott vs Acton vs Ipswich
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Swampscott has the most homeowners (75.9%).
Acton has the most people working from home (35.9%).
Ipswich has the shortest commute (29 min average).
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 | Swampscott | Acton | Ipswich |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,277 |
24,155Highest |
13,930Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±3.5Lowest 11% above MA |
44.5±0.8Lowest 11% above MA |
47.2±3.5Highest 18% above MA |
| Ipswich and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.9%±2.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Acton and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±2.6 MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Ipswich and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.2% MA: 47.3% |
79.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
60.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Acton and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $134,386±$23kLowest 29% above MA |
$158,230±$14kHighest 52% above MA |
$138,750±$16k 33% above MA |
| Acton and Ipswich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $771,100±$41k 37% above MA |
$807,300±$20kHighest 44% above MA |
$745,400±$40kLowest 33% above MA |
| Acton and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,303±$143Highest 31% above MA |
$1,986±$155 13% above MA |
$1,598±$90Lowest 9% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,936Lowest 32% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$7,960 33% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.7%±11.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.5%±12.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Swampscott and Ipswich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.9% MA: 62.5% |
74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1964 same as MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 18% above MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 27.2%±4.6 MA: 18.6% |
35.9%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
18.9%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Acton 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 | #76 of 282 in MA | #13 of 282 in MA | #101 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Acton-Boxborough | Ipswich |
| High school in town | — | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | Ipswich High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5Highest |
9.0Lowest |
| 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.