Compare towns
Swampscott vs Douglas vs Ashland
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 expensive homes ($771k median).
Douglas has the most affordable homes ($471k median).
Ashland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.5%).
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 | Douglas | Ashland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,277 |
9,207Lowest |
18,873Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.6% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+13.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±3.5Highest 11% above MA |
44±2.6 10% above MA |
42.1±1.4Lowest 5% above MA |
| Swampscott and Douglas 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% |
21.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest 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+ | 20.4%±2.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Swampscott and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
60.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest 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 | $134,386±$23k 29% above MA |
$152,267±$10kHighest 46% above MA |
$127,539±$11kLowest 23% above MA |
| Douglas and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $771,100±$41kHighest 37% above MA |
$470,600±$29kLowest 16% below MA |
$611,700±$18k 9% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,303±$143 31% above MA |
$1,503±$697Lowest 15% below MA |
$2,452±$298Highest 39% above MA |
| Ashland and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,936Highest 32% above MA |
$6,338Lowest 6% above MA |
$7,444 24% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.2%±14.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Swampscott and Ashland 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% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
3.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9% MA: 62.5% |
83.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1984 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 18% above MA |
34 minLowest 16% above MA |
37 minHighest 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 27.2%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.9%±4.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Swampscott and Ashland 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 | #177 of 282 in MA | #42 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Swampscott | Douglas | Ashland |
| High school in town | Swampscott High | Douglas High School | Ashland High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7 |
7.2Lowest |
14.0Highest |
| 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.