Population 17,809 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of Swansea: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Swansea
Household size in Swansea
| Period | Swansea | Providence area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.57 | 2.53 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.63 | 2.54 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.60 | 2.53 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.58 | 2.49 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.01 | −0.05 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Swansea average 2.58 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). The typical household here is bigger than in the Providence area overall, where it has 2.49 people.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Swansea
| Period | Swansea | Providence area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 45.5 | 39.5 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 45.7 | 40.5 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 46.4 | 41.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.5 | 41.7 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | −1.0 | +2.2 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 44.5, Swansea is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. The median age has dropped from 45.5 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Swansea
| Period | Swansea | Providence area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.8% | 12.5% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 6.3% | 12.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.7% | 11.9% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.3% | 12.1% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Swansea: 8.3% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is up 1.5 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Swansea
Renters in Swansea
| Period | Swansea | Providence area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.2% | 37.0% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 14.1% | 39.0% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 11.6% | 38.6% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 14.5% | 36.8% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.4 pts | −0.1 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 14.5% of households in Swansea rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 36.7% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the north; owners are most common in the southwest.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Swansea
| Period | Swansea | Providence area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.6% | 10.3% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.8% | 10.5% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.9% | 10.7% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 2.2% | 7.9% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −5.4 pts | −2.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 2.2% of homes in Swansea are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Vacancy is down 5.4 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Only 15 of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people have a lower vacancy rate.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Swansea
| Period | Swansea | Providence area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1964 | 1959 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1967 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1967 | 1960 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1962 | 1962 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | −2 | +3 | +5 | +6 |
Swansea is a place of older homes: half were built before 1962, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. Newer construction is concentrated in the north, while the south has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Swansea
| Period | Swansea | Providence area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $830 | $928 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $782 | $974 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $950 | $1,103 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,503 | $1,439 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$673 | +$511 | +$775 | +$606 |
The median renter in Swansea pays $1,503 a month for rent and utilities, close to the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $673 a month from 2006–10, an 81% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 32.0% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the east; the highest are in the north.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Swansea
Bachelor's degrees in Swansea
| Period | Swansea | Providence area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.4% | 28.5% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 24.7% | 29.6% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 24.9% | 32.4% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 37.5% | 35.2% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +15.1 pts | +6.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
Nearly four in ten adults 25 and older in Swansea (37.5%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, close to the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 15.1 points, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the southwest and least in the southeast.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Swansea
| Period | Swansea | Providence area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 83.0% | 82.1% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 87.9% | 83.9% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 89.3% | 87.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.4% | 88.3% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +8.3 pts | +6.2 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Swansea is a bit above the national rate: 91.4% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 8.3 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Compared with other Massachusetts cities, though, Swansea has a lower share of high school graduates than most.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Swansea
| Period | Swansea | Providence area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.8% | 8.5% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.8% | 10.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.6% | 5.5% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.6% | 5.8% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.3 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Swansea runs below the national rate: 3.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment is down 5.3 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Swansea compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swansea | 2.58 | 44.5 | 8.3% | 14.5% | 2.2% | 1962 | $1,503 | 37.5% | 91.4% | 3.6% |
| Somerset | 2.47 | 46.9 | 6.7% | 13.2% | 4.3% | 1962 | $1,100 | 37.1% | 92.1% | 3.1% |
| Warren | 2.14 | 48.2 | 6.1% | 38.2% | 8.9% | 1952 | $1,361 | 37.4% | 89.7% | 4.0% |
| Fall River | 2.26 | 40.0 | 16.2% | 65.1% | 6.4% | 1950 | $1,181 | 16.0% | 75.9% | 6.5% |
| North Swansea | 3.37 | 46.6 | 2.1% | 2.8% | 3.9% | 1978 | $1,171 | 53.1% | 90.3% | 0.0% |
| Bristol | 2.20 | 44.1 | 6.3% | 34.1% | 9.0% | 1964 | $1,673 | 48.4% | 93.0% | 2.8% |
| Barrington | 2.70 | 45.1 | 10.6% | 12.1% | 4.6% | 1955 | $2,196 | 71.6% | 98.1% | 3.0% |
| Dighton | 2.61 | 48.2 | 7.6% | 8.5% | 6.6% | 1987 | $1,264 | 33.2% | 96.3% | 6.9% |
| Assonet Bay Shores | 2.86 | 43.8 | 6.8% | 7.2% | 5.0% | 1980 | $1,796 | 44.6% | 95.0% | 5.2% |
| Rehoboth | 2.80 | 47.9 | 5.5% | 7.3% | 4.4% | 1977 | $1,477 | 42.6% | 93.6% | 2.5% |
| Riverside | 2.26 | 45.4 | 9.1% | 37.2% | 5.4% | 1961 | $1,247 | 34.1% | 92.2% | 6.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Amesbury Town, MA · Arab, AL · Anthony, NM · Taylor, TX · Angola, IN · Summerfield, NC · Andrews, TX · Andover, KS · Ammon, ID · Alton, TX
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Swansea. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.