Compare towns
Douglas vs Lunenburg 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
Douglas has the highest household income ($152k).
Lunenburg has the most renters (19.3% rent).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
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 | Douglas | Lunenburg | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,207 |
11,902Highest |
508Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±2.6 13% above U.S. |
43.2±2.1Lowest 11% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±3 U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Douglas and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.9%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44% U.S.: 35.7% |
48%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $152,267±$10kHighest 89% above U.S. |
$112,828±$11kLowest 40% above U.S. |
$112,917±$15k 40% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $470,600±$29kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$463,900±$24k 39% above U.S. |
$394,400±$61kLowest 19% above U.S. |
| Douglas and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,503±$697Lowest 6% above U.S. |
$1,974±$586Highest 40% above U.S. |
— |
| Lunenburg and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,338 103% above U.S. |
$6,401Highest 105% above U.S. |
$4,915Lowest 58% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.8%±13.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ripton and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 28% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.8%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Douglas and Ripton 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 | #177 of 282 in MA | #87 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Douglas | Lunenburg | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | Douglas High School | Lunenburg High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.2Lowest |
12.4Highest |
— |
| 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.