Compare towns
Ripton vs Acton vs Salisbury vs Hancock
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ripton has the most homeowners (90.9%).
Acton has the most people working from home (35.9%).
Salisbury has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Hancock has the most affordable homes ($188k 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 | Ripton | Acton | Salisbury | Hancock |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 508 |
24,155Highest |
1,200 |
435Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 47.7±14.2 23% above U.S. |
44.5±0.8 14% above U.S. |
50.6±6.5Highest 30% above U.S. |
33.8±11.6Lowest 13% below 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 | 11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Acton and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.4%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±3.6 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+ | 48% U.S.: 35.7% |
79.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±3.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,917±$15k 40% above U.S. |
$158,230±$14kHighest 96% above U.S. |
$99,688±$21k 23% above U.S. |
$76,250±$34kLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $394,400±$61k 19% above U.S. |
$807,300±$20kHighest 143% above U.S. |
$306,900±$51k 8% below U.S. |
$187,900±$11kLowest 44% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,986±$155Highest 41% above U.S. |
$1,443±$984 about the U.S. average |
$939±$19Lowest 34% below U.S. |
| Acton and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,915 58% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,842 55% above U.S. |
$3,511Lowest 13% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.7%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.9%±22.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
3.5%±16.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ripton and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1974Highest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 31% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 29% below U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
35.9%±4.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.7%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #13 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Acton-Boxborough | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5 |
— | — |
| 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.