Compare towns
Swampscott vs Webster vs Foxborough
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 people working from home (27.2%).
Webster has the most affordable homes ($333k median).
Foxborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
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 | Webster | Foxborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,277 |
12,228Lowest |
18,615Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.6% MA: +7.4% |
+6.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±3.5Highest 11% above MA |
37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
42.4±1.9 6% above MA |
| Swampscott and Foxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.6 MA: 19.4% |
22%±3.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Foxborough and Webster 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% |
15.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±2.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Swampscott and Foxborough 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% |
18.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
58.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
6%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±1.4Lowest 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±$23kHighest 29% above MA |
$63,837±$8kLowest 39% below MA |
$115,833±$9k 11% above MA |
| Swampscott and Foxborough 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 |
$333,100±$14kLowest 41% below MA |
$606,300±$28k 8% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,303±$143Highest 31% above MA |
$1,198±$85Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,843±$70 5% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,936Highest 32% above MA |
$3,234Lowest 46% below MA |
$7,275 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
46.1%±7.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54%±13.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Swampscott and Foxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.1% MA: 10% |
16%Highest MA: 10% |
5.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955 9 yrs older than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 18% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 27.2%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.8%±2.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #76 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA | #138 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Swampscott | — | Foxborough |
| High school in town | Swampscott High | — | Foxborough High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7Highest |
— | 11.3Lowest |
| 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.