Compare towns
Swampscott vs Upton vs Webster 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 most expensive homes ($771k median).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Webster has the most affordable homes ($362k median).
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 | Upton | Webster | Ashland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,277 |
8,189Lowest |
17,748 |
18,873Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.6% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+13.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±3.5 11% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
42.1±1.4 5% above MA |
| Upton and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton 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%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Upton 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
25.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
60.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Webster 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±$23k 29% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$72,895±$6kLowest 30% below MA |
$127,539±$11k 23% above MA |
| Upton 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 |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$361,500±$12kLowest 36% below MA |
$611,700±$18k 9% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,303±$143 31% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,228±$81 30% below 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 |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$3,999Lowest 33% below MA |
$7,444 24% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7Lowest 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% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.7%Highest MA: 10% |
3.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 18% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
31 minLowest 5% above MA |
37 minHighest 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 27.2%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Swampscott and Upton 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA | #42 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Swampscott | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Webster | Ashland |
| High school in town | Swampscott High | Blackstone Valley | Bartlett High School | Ashland High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7 |
11.2Lowest |
11.6 |
14.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.