Compare towns
Swampscott vs Upton vs Marblehead 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.6%).
Upton has the most affordable homes ($577k median).
Marblehead has the most people working from home (34%).
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 | Upton | Marblehead | Ipswich |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,277 |
8,189Lowest |
20,413Highest |
13,930 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±3.5Lowest 11% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
47.2±3.5 18% above MA |
| Marblehead and Ipswich 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%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
18.9%±2.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±2.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Marblehead and Ipswich 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% |
53.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
78.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
60.2% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1 MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Swampscott and Ipswich 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 |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$182,132±$28kHighest 75% above MA |
$138,750±$16k 33% above MA |
| Marblehead and Upton 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 |
$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
$943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA |
$745,400±$40k 33% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,303±$143Highest 31% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,764±$147 about the MA average |
$1,598±$90 9% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,936Lowest 32% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$8,309 39% above MA |
$7,960 33% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
49.5%±8.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.5%±12.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Swampscott and Upton 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% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.4% MA: 10% |
5.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.2% MA: 62.5% |
74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955 9 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
1964 same as MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 18% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 27.2%±4.6 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
18.9%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Marblehead 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #47 of 282 in MA | #101 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Marblehead | Ipswich |
| High school in town | — | Blackstone Valley | Marblehead High | Ipswich High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Highest |
10.7 |
9.0Lowest |
| 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.