Compare towns
Andover vs Ripton vs Saugus vs Windham
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%).
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
Saugus has the most expensive homes ($603k median).
Windham has the most kids (17.5% under 18).
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 | Saugus | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 616 |
508Lowest |
28,773Highest |
594 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 49.2±5.1Highest 26% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2 23% above U.S. |
44.5±2.5 14% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4Lowest 14% 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% |
11.8%±6.3 U.S.: 22% |
15.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Saugus 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% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1 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% |
48% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $102,500±$38k 27% above U.S. |
$112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$101,539±$3k 26% above U.S. |
$94,500±$12kLowest 17% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Andover 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. |
$394,400±$61k 19% above U.S. |
$603,400±$13kHighest 81% above U.S. |
$353,900±$20kLowest 6% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,389±$364Lowest about the U.S. average |
— | $2,241±$201Highest 59% above U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,190 66% above U.S. |
$4,915Lowest 58% above U.S. |
$6,049Highest 94% above U.S. |
$5,951 91% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 69.4%±47.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
53%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Andover and Saugus 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% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
6% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 29.6%±12.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6 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 | — | — | #194 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Saugus | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Saugus High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 15.5 |
— |
| 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.