Compare towns
Swampscott vs Whitman 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%).
Whitman has the most affordable homes ($473k median).
Foxborough has the shortest commute (29 min average).
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 | Whitman | Foxborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,277Lowest |
15,295 |
18,615Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.6% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±3.5Highest 11% above MA |
40.4±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
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% |
21.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
22%±3.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Foxborough and Whitman 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% |
15.5%±2.1Lowest 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% |
31.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
58.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Whitman 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 |
$108,933±$14kLowest 5% above 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 |
$472,700±$12kLowest 16% below MA |
$606,300±$28k 8% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,303±$143Highest 31% above MA |
$1,771±$151Lowest about the MA average |
$1,843±$70 5% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,936Highest 32% above MA |
$5,824Lowest about the MA average |
$7,275 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57%±14.2 MA: 51.8% |
61.9%±13.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
54%±13.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Whitman and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.1% MA: 10% |
7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
5.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
1957 7 yrs older than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 18% above MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 27.2%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.8%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.8%±2.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #76 of 282 in MA | #191 of 282 in MA | #138 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Swampscott | Whitman-Hanson | Foxborough |
| High school in town | Swampscott High | None in town | 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.