Compare towns
Middleborough 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
Middleborough has the most expensive homes ($469k median).
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 | Middleborough | Ripton | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,505Highest |
508Lowest |
1,200 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±2.1Lowest 12% 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 | 18.8%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Middleborough and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.8%±2.1Lowest 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+ | 32%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.1 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 | $97,056±$7kLowest 20% above U.S. |
$112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$99,688±$21k 23% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $468,700±$18kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$394,400±$61k 19% above U.S. |
$306,900±$51kLowest 8% below U.S. |
| Middleborough and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,706±$72Highest 21% above U.S. |
— | $1,443±$984Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Middleborough and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,023Highest 93% above U.S. |
$4,915 58% above U.S. |
$4,842Lowest 55% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.2%±11.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.9%±22.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Middleborough and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 29% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.6%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ripton and Middleborough 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 | #170 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | Middleborough | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | Middleborough High | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
— | — |
| 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.