Compare towns
Hancock vs Ripton vs Salisbury vs Upton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hancock has the most affordable homes ($188k median).
Ripton has the most homeowners (90.9%).
Salisbury has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k 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 | Hancock | Ripton | Salisbury | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 435Lowest |
508 |
1,200 |
8,189Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.8±11.6Lowest 13% below U.S. |
47.7±14.2 23% above U.S. |
50.6±6.5Highest 30% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% 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 | 17.2%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.4%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 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+ | 34.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±3.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $76,250±$34kLowest 6% below U.S. |
$112,917±$15k 40% above U.S. |
$99,688±$21k 23% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
| Upton and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $187,900±$11kLowest 44% below U.S. |
$394,400±$61k 19% above U.S. |
$306,900±$51k 8% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $939±$19Lowest 34% below U.S. |
— | $1,443±$984Highest about the U.S. average |
$948±$599 33% below U.S. |
| Salisbury and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,511Lowest 13% above U.S. |
$4,915 58% above U.S. |
$4,842 55% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 3.5%±16.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.9%±22.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ripton and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 29% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.7%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton 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 | — | — | — | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 11.2 |
| 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.