Compare towns
Swampscott vs Ware vs Salem
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 highest household income ($134k).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
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.
| Measure | Swampscott | Ware | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,277 |
10,048Lowest |
44,795Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±3.5Highest 11% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
| Swampscott and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Swampscott and Ware 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% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Ware 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% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
47.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $134,386±$23kHighest 29% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$85,153±$5k 18% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $771,100±$41kHighest 37% above MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$542,800±$18k 3% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,303±$143Highest 31% above MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,836±$84 4% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,936Highest 32% above MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$6,114 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57%±14.2 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Swampscott 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% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955 9 yrs older than MA |
1960Highest 4 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 18% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 27.2%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Swampscott | Ware | Salem |
| High school in town | Swampscott High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7Highest |
11.1 |
9.8Lowest |
| 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.