Compare towns
Whitman vs Swampscott vs Dudley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Whitman has the most kids (21.1% under 18).
Swampscott has the most people working from home (27.2%).
Dudley has the shortest commute (27 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 | Whitman | Swampscott | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,295Highest |
15,277 |
11,929Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.4±1.8 about the MA average |
44.5±3.5Highest 11% above MA |
40.2±2.4Lowest about the MA average |
| Swampscott and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Whitman and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±2.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±3 MA: 17.9% |
| Swampscott and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.3% MA: 47.3% |
62.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $108,933±$14k 5% above MA |
$134,386±$23kHighest 29% above MA |
$84,604±$12kLowest 19% below MA |
| Swampscott and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $472,700±$12k 16% below MA |
$771,100±$41kHighest 37% above MA |
$392,600±$19kLowest 30% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,771±$151 about the MA average |
$2,303±$143Highest 31% above MA |
$1,217±$182Lowest 31% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,824 about the MA average |
$7,936Highest 32% above MA |
$3,691Lowest 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±13.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
57%±14.2 MA: 51.8% |
47.4%±4.1Lowest 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 | 7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
6.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957 7 yrs older than MA |
1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 24% above MA |
34 min 18% above MA |
27 minLowest 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 10.8%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
27.2%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #191 of 282 in MA | #76 of 282 in MA | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Whitman-Hanson | Swampscott | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | None in town | Swampscott High | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.7Lowest |
14.3Highest |
| 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.