What stands out worked out from the figures below

Swampscott has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.6%).

Marblehead has the highest household income ($182k).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Swampscott	Marblehead
People
Population	15,277Lowest	20,413Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4%	+3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	44.5±3.5Lowest 11% above MA	49.1±2Highest 23% above MA
	Marblehead and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4%	22.3%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4%
	Marblehead and Swampscott 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%	22.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9%
	Marblehead 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%Lowest MA: 47.3%	78.3%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.7%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9%	3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Swampscott and Marblehead 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	$182,132±$28kHighest 75% above MA
	Marblehead 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±$41kLowest 37% above MA	$943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,303±$143Highest 31% above MA	$1,764±$147Lowest about the MA average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,936Lowest 32% above MA	$8,309Highest 39% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8%	49.5%±8.8Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Swampscott and Marblehead 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%	4.4%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.9%Lowest MA: 62.5%	85.2%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1955Highest 9 yrs older than MA	1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minHighest 18% above MA	33 minLowest 13% above MA
Work from home	27.2%±4.6Lowest MA: 18.6%	34%±3.6Highest 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	#47 of 282 in MA
School district	Swampscott	Marblehead
High school in town	Swampscott High	Marblehead High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.7Highest	10.7Lowest
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.