Rank
100
B
Swampscott
2 schools · 1 high school · 1 elementary school · Swampscott
Swampscott is a coastal suburb on the North Shore, roughly 15 miles northeast of Boston. With an average single-family assessed value near $957,000 and per capita income of $85,376, it is a notably affluent community. The district operates a single elementary school and Swampscott High School, serving a tight-knit student body with a 94.4% graduation rate. The town has a rich maritime heritage and remains known for its scenic oceanfront neighborhoods and strong sense of community identity.
Avg MCAS ELA
54%
#125 of 326
Avg MCAS Math
50%
#122 of 326
Avg SAT
1,179
#64 of 290
Attendance
94.1%
#201 of 328
Graduation Rate
94.4%
#150 of 288
AP Pass Rate
79.8%
#94 of 278
Per-Pupil Spending
$21,736
#166 of 325
Avg Teacher Salary
$91,473
#161 of 325
MCAS Performance by Grade
| Grade | ELA M+E% | Math M+E% | Sci M+E% | Avg Score | Students |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 53% | 50% | — | 500 | 149 |
| Grade 4 | 53% | 43% | — | 498 | 145 |
| Grade 5 | 45% | 45% | 52% | 495 | 137 |
| Grade 6 | 35% | 46% | — | 493 | 148 |
| Grade 7 | 37% | 47% | — | 497 | 146 |
| Grade 8 | 52% | 40% | 44% | 497 | 163 |
| Grade 10 | 54% | 48% | 67% | 499 | 170 |
| HS Science | — | — | 68% | 507 | 185 |
Showing 2025 data
Student Demographics
White: 73.4%
Asian: 2.7%
Hispanic: 15.3%
Black: 3.9%
Multi-Race: 4.1%
Am. Indian: 0.3%
Pac. Islander: 0.2%
Female: 49.1%Male: 50.8%
High Schools in Swampscott
Rank
Grade
School
SAT
MCAS ELA
MCAS Math
AP
Grad
91
B
Swampscott High
SAT
1,179
ELA
55%
Math
49%
Grad
94.4%
91
B
Swampscott High
1,179
55%
49%
79.8%
94.4%
Elementary Schools in Swampscott
Rank
Grade
School
MCAS ELA
MCAS Math
Attend.
Class Size
371
B-
Swampscott Elementary School
ELA
53%
Math
51%
Attend.
94.5%
Class
20
371
B-
Swampscott Elementary School
53%
51%
94.5%
20
District Operations
Attendance
#201 of 328Attendance Rate94.1%
Avg Days Absent10
Chronically Absent (10%+)15.5%
Chronically Absent (20%+)2.9%
Per-Pupil Expenditure
#166 of 325In-District Per Pupil$19,912
Total Per Pupil$21,736
Total FTE Students2,202
Teacher Salaries
#161 of 325Average Salary$91,473
Teacher FTE Count188
Salary vs. Town Income1.1x(near town avg)
Teacher salary is 1.1x the town's per capita income ($85,376). Teachers earn close to the community average. The MA median ratio is about 1.9x.
Class Size & Populations
#173 of 327Avg Class Size17
English Learners4.5%
Students w/ Disabilities23.3%
Total Students2,118
Staffing & Retention
#112 of 327Teacher Retention89.1%
Principal Retention60%
Total Teachers192
Attendance: 2024-2025 · Expenditure: 2024 · Salaries: 2023-2024 · Class Size: 2024-2025 · Staffing: 2025
Town Data
Swampscott
Avg Assessed Value
$956,516
#42 of 235
Avg Tax Bill
$11,478
Income Per Capita
$85,376
#38 of 235
Tax Bill Rank
#48
of 341 towns
Avg Assessed Value is the mean assessed value of single-family homes only (MA property class 101 — excludes condos, multi-family, and apartments). MA law requires assessment at 100% of fair market value. Income Per Capita is total town income divided by population, derived from MA state income tax returns (not Census surveys). It includes wages, investment income, and capital gains, so wealthy towns can have very high figures. The MA median is about $48K. Tax bill rank orders towns by average single-family tax bill, highest to lowest.
Tax & Bond Details
Residential Tax Rate1.2%
Tax as % of Income13.44%(typical)
Bond RatingAA+(excellent)
Tax rate is the effective residential rate (tax bill ÷ assessed value). Tax as % of income measures how much of residents’ income goes to property taxes. The MA median is about 14%; below 10% is low (wealthier towns with high incomes relative to home values), above 16% is above average. Bond rating reflects the town’s creditworthiness for borrowing. AAA is the highest possible rating (strong fiscal management), meaning the town can borrow at the lowest interest rates. AA+ is excellent, AA is very good.
New Growth
$57.1M+1.16% levy growth(typical)
Residential$51.3M
Commercial/Industrial$5.8M
Residential Share82.75%(mostly homes)
New growth measures new taxable value from construction and development (not rising home prices). In Massachusetts, Proposition 2\u00BD limits annual property tax increases to 2.5% of the prior year\u2019s levy. New growth revenue is automatically added on top of this 2.5% base increase \u2014 it does not require a vote. This town’s total levy growth is about 3.7% (2.5% base + 1.16% from new growth). The MA median is about 1.2%; above 1.5% is strong, below 0.8% signals limited development. The residential share (82.75%) shows how much comes from homes vs. commercial/industrial. When most growth is residential, homeowners carry more of the tax burden. More commercial/industrial growth is generally better for homeowners because businesses share the cost.
Municipal Free Cash
$3.4M4.5% of operating budget
Free cash is the town's unencumbered surplus funds. 5-10% of budget is considered healthy. Operating budget: $74.5M.
Where Children Attend School
Local Public: 1,860(80.0%)
Vocational: 22(0.9%)
Charter: 74(3.2%)
Private: 303(13.0%)
Home School: 12(0.5%)
Total: 2,324