Compare towns
Swampscott vs Marblehead vs Salem
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%).
Marblehead has the highest household income ($182k).
Salem has the most renters (50.3% 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.
| Measure | Swampscott | Marblehead | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,277Lowest |
20,413 |
44,795Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±3.5 11% above MA |
49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
| 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%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest 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%±2.6 MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest 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% MA: 47.3% |
78.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
47.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $134,386±$23k 29% above MA |
$182,132±$28kHighest 75% above MA |
$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below 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±$41k 37% above MA |
$943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA |
$542,800±$18kLowest 3% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,303±$143Highest 31% above MA |
$1,764±$147Lowest about the MA average |
$1,836±$84 4% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,936 32% above MA |
$8,309Highest 39% above MA |
$6,114Lowest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.5%±8.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Swampscott and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.1% MA: 10% |
4.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9% MA: 62.5% |
85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Highest 9 yrs older than MA |
1944 20 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 18% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 27.2%±4.6 MA: 18.6% |
34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5Lowest 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 | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Swampscott | Marblehead | Salem |
| High school in town | Swampscott High | Marblehead High | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7Highest |
10.7 |
9.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.