Swampscott, MA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Swampscott, MA Summary

Cost of living in Swampscott research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Swampscott is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Massachusetts, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Swampscott is 159, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Swampscott is 1.6x higher than the national average.

  • Swampscott ranks as the #80 cheapest in Massachusetts out of 112.

  • Swampscott ranks as the #5,877 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Swampscott is $812,008.

  • The median income in Swampscott is $128,964.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
159
Swampscott's Overall Cost Of Living
1.6x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Swampscott, MA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Swampscott has an overall cost of living index of 159, which is 1.6x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Massachusetts, Swampscott has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than Massachusetts's index of 134.

The standard of living in Swampscott ranks as #80 most affordable out of the 112 places we measured in Massachusetts. By definition, that implies Swampscott ranks as the #32 most expensive place in the Bay State.

For more reading on life in Swampscott, check out:

80 out of 112
In Massachusetts
5,877 out of 6,489
In America

Swampscott Cost Of Living Vs. Massachusetts

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Swampscott. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Swampscott is 123.

  • The Groceries index in Swampscott is 106.

  • The Health index in Swampscott is 114.

  • The Housing index in Swampscott is 255.

  • The Transportation index in Swampscott is 116.

  • The Utilities index in Swampscott is 136.

Living Expense Swampscott Massachusetts National Average
Overall 159 134 100
Services 123 121 100
Groceries 106 106 100
Health 114 112 100
Housing 255 164 100
Transportation 116 120 100
Utilities 136 136 100
For more reading on cost of living around Massachusetts, check out:
Swampscott Cost of Living Vs. MA

Swampscott, MA Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Massachusetts, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Swampscott is $812,008.

  • The Median Rent in Swampscott is $2,223.

  • The Median Income in Swampscott is $128,964.

  • The Home Value To Income in Swampscott is 6.3x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Swampscott is 0.21x.

Statistic Swampscott Massachusetts United States
Median Home Value $812,008 $649,115 $303,400
Median Rent $2,223 $1,687 $1,348
Median Income $128,964 $101,341 $78,538
Home Value To Income 6.3x 6.4x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.21x 0.2x 0.21x
$812,008
Median Home Value
$2,223
Median Rent
$128,964
Median Income

Swampscott, MA Costs By Category

Detailed Swampscott Services Costs Vs. Massachusetts

Item Swampscott Massachusetts
Shampoo $1.49 $1.28
Movie $15.49 $12.13
Bowling $29.33 $18
Haircut $43.72 $24.26
Beauty Salon $65.56 $45.56

Detailed Swampscott Groceries Costs Vs. Massachusetts

Item Swampscott Massachusetts
Ground Beef $5.48 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.45 $1.57
Milk $4.76 $4.67
Potatoes $4.99 $4.93
Pizza $12.52 $12.09
Beer $10.21 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.53 $3.7

Detailed Swampscott Health Costs Vs. Massachusetts

Item Swampscott Massachusetts
Optometrist $123.17 $125.68
Doctor $157.89 $135.78
Dentist $149.22 $113.29

Detailed Swampscott Transportation Costs Vs. Massachusetts

Item Swampscott Massachusetts
Gasoline $3.43 $3.46
Tire Balancing $97.39 $59.92

Detailed Swampscott Utilities Costs Vs. Massachusetts

Item Swampscott Massachusetts
All Electricity $302.72 $193.99
Phone $187.85 $192.25

Swampscott SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
9.5
Affordability
4
Diversity
5
Safety
8
Amenities
9
Education
10
Commute
3

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Swampscott

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Swampscott. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Lynn, MA has a cost of living index of 137, 0.9x Swampscott.

  • Newton, MA has a cost of living index of 208, 1.3x Swampscott.

  • Brookline, MA has a cost of living index of 221, 1.4x Swampscott.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Swampscott
Lynn, MA 100,905 137 0.9x
Newton, MA 88,504 208 1.3x
Brookline, MA 62,822 221 1.4x
Revere, MA 59,933 141 0.9x
Peabody, MA 54,180 146 0.9x
Arlington, MA 46,015 179 1.1x
Salem, MA 44,241 137 0.9x
Beverly, MA 42,408 149 0.9x
Lexington, MA 34,085 211 1.3x
Melrose, MA 29,488 166 1.0x

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