Compare towns
Swampscott vs Windham vs Lynn
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Swampscott has the most people working from home (27.2%).
Windham has the highest household income ($190k).
Lynn has the most renters (51.9% 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 | Windham | Lynn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,277Lowest |
16,038 |
101,709Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±3.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9 6% above U.S. |
36.5±1.2Lowest 6% below U.S. |
| Swampscott and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
24.1%±1.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Lynn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.7%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Swampscott and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lynn 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 66% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$75,043±$3kLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $771,100±$41kHighest 132% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50k 117% above U.S. |
$510,100±$23kLowest 53% above U.S. |
| Swampscott and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,303±$143 63% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,722±$60Lowest 22% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,936 154% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,384Lowest 73% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57%±14.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
60%±4.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lynn and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
48.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1946Lowest 34 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
31 minLowest 17% above U.S. |
32 min 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.2%±4.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.9%±1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Swampscott and Windham 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 | #13 of 120 in NH | #277 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Swampscott | Windham School District | Lynn |
| High school in town | Swampscott High | Windham High School | Lynn English High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7Lowest |
12.8 |
15.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.