Compare towns
Swampscott vs Sutton vs Swampscott
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sutton has the most affordable homes ($523k 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.
| Measure | Swampscott | Sutton | Swampscott |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,277Highest |
9,452Lowest |
15,277Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±3.5Highest 11% above MA |
44.3±2.5Lowest 11% above MA |
44.5±3.5Highest 11% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±2.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±2.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $134,386±$23kLowest 29% above MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$134,386±$23kLowest 29% above MA |
| Sutton 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 |
$523,100±$47kLowest 7% below MA |
$771,100±$41kHighest 37% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,303±$143Highest 31% above MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
$2,303±$143Highest 31% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,936Highest 32% above MA |
$6,763Lowest 13% above MA |
$7,936Highest 32% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
5.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 18% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
34 minHighest 18% above MA |
| Work from home | 27.2%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
27.2%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #76 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #76 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Swampscott | Sutton | — |
| High school in town | Swampscott High | Sutton High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7Lowest |
12.6Highest |
— |
| 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.