What stands out worked out from the figures below

Swampscott has the highest household income ($134k).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Swampscott	Salem
People
Population	15,277Lowest	44,795Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4%	+7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	44.5±3.5Highest 11% above MA	39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average
Kids under 18	20.1%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4%	15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Swampscott and Salem 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%	17.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Swampscott and Salem 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%	47.8%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9%	8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$134,386±$23kHighest 29% above MA	$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$771,100±$41kHighest 37% above MA	$542,800±$18kLowest 3% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,303±$143Highest 31% above MA	$1,836±$84Lowest 4% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,936Highest 32% above MA	$6,114Lowest about the MA average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8%	54.9%±4.8Lowest 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%Lowest MA: 10%	12.1%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.9%Highest MA: 62.5%	49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1955Highest 9 yrs older than MA	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minHighest 18% above MA	29 minLowest about the MA average
Work from home	27.2%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6%	21.6%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Swampscott and Salem 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	#248 of 282 in MA
School district	Swampscott	Salem
High school in town	Swampscott High	Salem High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.7Highest	9.8Lowest
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.