Compare towns
Dracut vs Ripton vs Salisbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dracut has the most kids (21.4% under 18).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Salisbury has the most affordable homes ($307k 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 | Dracut | Ripton | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 32,574Highest |
508Lowest |
1,200 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.7±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2 23% above U.S. |
50.6±6.5Highest 30% 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 | 21.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Dracut and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.4%±2.9 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+ | 36.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
48%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $114,036±$10kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$112,917±$15k 40% above U.S. |
$99,688±$21kLowest 23% 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 | $473,900±$17kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$394,400±$61k 19% above U.S. |
$306,900±$51kLowest 8% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,839±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
— | $1,443±$984Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Dracut and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,375Highest 72% above U.S. |
$4,915 58% above U.S. |
$4,842Lowest 55% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.9%±22.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dracut and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 29% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ripton and Dracut 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 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | Dracut Senior High | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9 |
— | — |
| 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.