What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Reading has the highest household income ($166k).

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	Reading
People
Population	15,277Lowest	25,612Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4%	+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	44.5±3.5Highest 11% above MA	43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA
	Swampscott and Reading 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%	22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4%
	Reading 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%	20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9%
	Reading 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%	66.3%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.7%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9%	2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Swampscott and Reading 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	$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA
	Reading 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	$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA
	Reading and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,303±$143Highest 31% above MA	$1,991±$273Lowest 13% above MA
	Swampscott and Reading 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	$9,320Highest 56% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8%	27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	7.1%Highest MA: 10%	3.2%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.9%Lowest MA: 62.5%	82.4%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA	1960Highest 4 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minHighest 18% above MA	31 minLowest 6% above MA
Work from home	27.2%±4.6Lowest MA: 18.6%	30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6%
	Reading 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	#50 of 282 in MA
School district	Swampscott	Reading
High school in town	Swampscott High	Reading Memorial High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.7Lowest	12.1Highest
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.