What stands out worked out from the figures below

Swampscott has the most expensive homes ($771k median).

Northborough has the most affordable homes ($620k 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	Northborough
People
Population	15,277Lowest	15,750Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+11.2%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	44.5±3.5Lowest 11% above MA	45±3Highest 13% above MA
	Northborough 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%	21.6%±2.8Highest MA: 19.4%
	Northborough 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%	17.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Swampscott and Northborough 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%	65.5%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9%	5.1%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9%
	Northborough 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±$23kLowest 29% above MA	$153,199±$19kHighest 47% above MA
	Northborough 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	$620,000±$24kLowest 10% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,303±$143Highest 31% above MA	$1,919±$269Lowest 9% above MA
	Swampscott and Northborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,936Lowest 32% above MA	$7,983Highest 33% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8%	50.1%±16.3Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Swampscott and Northborough 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%	3.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.9%Lowest MA: 62.5%	83.1%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA	1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minHighest 18% above MA	31 minLowest 7% above MA
Work from home	27.2%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6%	22.5%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Swampscott and Northborough 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	#35 of 282 in MA
School district	Swampscott	Northborough · Northboro-Southboro
High school in town	Swampscott High	Algonquin Regional High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.7Highest	10.8Lowest
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.