Compare towns

Swampscott vs Lynn

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%).
Lynn has the most renters (51.9% rent).

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.

MeasureSwampscottLynn
People
Population
15,277Lowest
101,709Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+9.6%Lowest
MA: +7.4%
+12.1%Highest
MA: +7.4%
Median age
44.5±3.5Highest
11% above MA
36.5±1.2Lowest
9% below MA
Kids under 18
20.1%±2.9Lowest
MA: 19.4%
24.1%±1.4Highest
MA: 19.4%
Lynn 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%
13.7%±0.9Lowest
MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
62.2%Highest
MA: 47.3%
24.1%Lowest
MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.7%±1.7Lowest
MA: 7.9%
5.4%±0.6Highest
MA: 7.9%
Lynn 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±$23kHighest
29% above MA
$75,043±$3kLowest
28% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$771,100±$41kHighest
37% above MA
$510,100±$23kLowest
9% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$2,303±$143Highest
31% above MA
$1,722±$60Lowest
about the MA average
Property taxmedian, yearly
$7,936Highest
32% above MA
$5,384Lowest
10% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
57%±14.2Lowest
MA: 51.8%
60%±4.1Highest
MA: 51.8%
Lynn and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
7.1%Lowest
MA: 10%
13.8%Highest
MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
75.9%Highest
MA: 62.5%
48.1%Lowest
MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year
1955Highest
9 yrs older than MA
1946Lowest
18 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
34 minHighest
18% above MA
32 minLowest
8% above MA
Work from home
27.2%±4.6Highest
MA: 18.6%
7.9%±1Lowest
MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #76 of 282 in MA #277 of 282 in MA
School district Swampscott Lynn
High school in town Swampscott High Lynn English High
Students per teacherat that high school
11.7Lowest
15.0Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story 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.