Compare towns
Swampscott vs Foxborough 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 people working from home (27.2%).
Foxborough has the most affordable homes ($606k median).
Ipswich has the oldest population (median age 47.2).
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 | Foxborough | Ipswich |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,277 |
18,615Highest |
13,930Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.6% MA: +7.4% |
+10.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±3.5 11% above MA |
42.4±1.9Lowest 6% 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% |
22%±3.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.9%±2.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Foxborough 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% |
17.2%±2.4Lowest 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
58.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
60.2% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Swampscott and Foxborough 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 |
$115,833±$9kLowest 11% above MA |
$138,750±$16kHighest 33% above MA |
| Ipswich 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 |
$606,300±$28kLowest 8% above MA |
$745,400±$40k 33% above MA |
| Swampscott and Ipswich 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 |
$1,843±$70 5% above MA |
$1,598±$90Lowest 9% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,936 32% above MA |
$7,275Lowest 21% above MA |
$7,960Highest 33% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
54%±13.7 MA: 51.8% |
51.5%±12.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Swampscott and Foxborough 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% |
5.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
74.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1964 same as MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 18% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 27.2%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.8%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
18.9%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Swampscott and Ipswich 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 | #138 of 282 in MA | #101 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Swampscott | Foxborough | Ipswich |
| High school in town | Swampscott High | Foxborough High | Ipswich High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7Highest |
11.3 |
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.