Compare towns
Andover vs Dracut vs Windham 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 (29.6%).
Dracut has the most kids (21.4% under 18).
Windham has the most affordable homes ($354k median).
Ripton has the most homeowners (90.9%).
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 | Dracut | Windham | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 616 |
32,574Highest |
594 |
508Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +10.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.2±5.1Highest 26% above U.S. |
41.7±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2 23% above U.S. |
| Andover and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 11.5%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9 U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Dracut and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $102,500±$38k 27% above U.S. |
$114,036±$10kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$94,500±$12kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$112,917±$15k 40% above U.S. |
| Dracut and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $382,900±$68k 15% above U.S. |
$473,900±$17kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$353,900±$20kLowest 6% above U.S. |
$394,400±$61k 19% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,389±$364Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,839±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
— | — |
| Dracut and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,190 66% above U.S. |
$5,375 72% above U.S. |
$5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$4,915Lowest 58% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 69.4%±47.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Andover and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 29.6%±12.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Andover and Windham 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 | — | #201 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | — | Dracut | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | — | Dracut Senior High | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9 |
— | — |
| 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.