Compare towns
Andover vs Ripton vs Salisbury vs Acton
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 highest household income ($173k).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Salisbury has the most affordable homes ($307k median).
Acton has the most people working from home (35.9%).
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 | Ripton | Salisbury | Acton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 36,652Highest |
508Lowest |
1,200 |
24,155 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±1Lowest 10% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2 23% above U.S. |
50.6±6.5Highest 30% above U.S. |
44.5±0.8 14% 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 | 23.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Andover and Acton 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% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.4%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±1.7 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+ | 75.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
48% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
79.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.1%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $172,606±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$112,917±$15k 40% above U.S. |
$99,688±$21kLowest 23% above U.S. |
$158,230±$14k 96% above U.S. |
| Andover and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $855,600±$22kHighest 157% above U.S. |
$394,400±$61k 19% above U.S. |
$306,900±$51kLowest 8% below U.S. |
$807,300±$20k 143% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,201±$129Highest 56% above U.S. |
— | $1,443±$984Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,986±$155 41% above U.S. |
| Andover and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,915 58% above U.S. |
$4,842Lowest 55% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.7%±7.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.9%±22.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.7%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ripton and Acton 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% |
8.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
74.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1974Highest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% above U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 29% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 31% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 30.4%±2.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
35.9%±4.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Acton and Andover 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 | #68 of 282 in MA | — | — | #13 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Andover · Greater Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Acton-Boxborough |
| High school in town | Gr Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical | None in town | None in town | Acton-Boxborough Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Lowest |
— | — | 13.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.