Compare towns
Swampscott vs Reading vs Ashland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Swampscott has the oldest population (median age 44.5).
Reading has the highest household income ($166k).
Ashland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.5%).
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 | Reading | Ashland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,277Lowest |
25,612Highest |
18,873 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.6% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+13.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±3.5Highest 11% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
42.1±1.4Lowest 5% 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%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest 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%±2.6 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.2Lowest 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% MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
60.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Swampscott and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $134,386±$23k 29% above MA |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$127,539±$11kLowest 23% 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±$41k 37% above MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$611,700±$18kLowest 9% 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±$143 31% above MA |
$1,991±$273Lowest 13% above MA |
$2,452±$298Highest 39% above MA |
| Ashland and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,936 32% above MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$7,444Lowest 24% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.2%±14.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Swampscott and Ashland 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% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9% MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 18% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
37 minHighest 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 27.2%±4.6 MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±3.3Lowest 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 | #42 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Swampscott | Reading | Ashland |
| High school in town | Swampscott High | Reading Memorial High | Ashland High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7Lowest |
12.1 |
14.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.