Compare towns
Andover vs Methuen vs Ripton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Andover has the most people working from home (30.4%).
Methuen has the most renters (27.7% rent).
Ripton has the most affordable homes ($394k median).
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 | Andover | Methuen | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 36,652 |
53,475Highest |
508Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±1 10% above U.S. |
39.9±1.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
47.7±14.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Andover and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.1%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,606±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$113,310±$7k 40% above U.S. |
$112,917±$15kLowest 40% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $855,600±$22kHighest 157% above U.S. |
$499,700±$17k 50% above U.S. |
$394,400±$61kLowest 19% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,201±$129Highest 56% above U.S. |
$1,749±$91Lowest 24% above U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,061 62% above U.S. |
$4,915Lowest 58% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.7%±7.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.4%±6.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ripton and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 30.4%±2.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.2%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #68 of 282 in MA | #236 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Andover · Greater Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical | Methuen | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | Gr Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical | Methuen High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Lowest |
13.1Highest |
— |
| 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.