What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Marshfield has the most affordable homes ($680k median).

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	Marshfield
People
Population	15,277Lowest	25,879Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4%	+2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	44.5±3.5Lowest 11% above MA	45.9±2.6Highest 15% above MA
	Marshfield and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.1%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4%	19.6%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Swampscott and Marshfield 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%	20.2%±2Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Swampscott and Marshfield 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%	52.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.7%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9%	4%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Swampscott and Marshfield 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	$125,986±$8kLowest 21% above MA
	Swampscott and Marshfield 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	$680,300±$27kLowest 21% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,303±$143Highest 31% above MA	$1,772±$123Lowest about the MA average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,936Highest 32% above MA	$6,656Lowest 11% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57%±14.2Lowest MA: 51.8%	68.1%±10.1Highest MA: 51.8%
	Marshfield 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%	8.7%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.9%Lowest MA: 62.5%	80.8%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA	1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minLowest 18% above MA	35 minHighest 19% above MA
Work from home	27.2%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6%	24.8%±4.3Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Swampscott and Marshfield 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	#54 of 282 in MA
School district	Swampscott	Marshfield
High school in town	Swampscott High	Marshfield High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.7Highest	11.0Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.