Compare towns
Amherst vs Ripton vs Salisbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Amherst has the most renters (30.1% rent).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Salisbury has the oldest population (median age 50.6).
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 | Amherst | Ripton | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 130,546Highest |
508Lowest |
1,200 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.1±0.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
47.7±14.2 23% above U.S. |
50.6±6.5Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±1Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Amherst and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.4%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.3%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ripton and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $93,483±$2kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$99,688±$21k 23% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,600±$7k 6% below U.S. |
$394,400±$61kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$306,900±$51kLowest 8% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,393±$45Lowest about the U.S. average |
— | $1,443±$984Highest about the U.S. average |
| Salisbury and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,935Highest 90% above U.S. |
$4,915 58% above U.S. |
$4,842Lowest 55% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.1%±4.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.9%±22.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amherst and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 24% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 9% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 29% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.9%±1.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ripton and Amherst 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 | #72 of 484 in NY | — | — |
| School district | AMHERST CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · SWEET HOME CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | WILLIAMSVILLE NORTH HIGH SCHOOL | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
— | — |
| 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.