Compare towns
Ripton vs Methuen 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
Ripton has the most people working from home (17.2%).
Methuen has the most kids (21.3% under 18).
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 | Ripton | Methuen | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 508Lowest |
53,475Highest |
1,200 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +7.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.7±14.2 23% above U.S. |
39.9±1.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
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 | 11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±1.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Methuen and Salisbury 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% |
17.2%±1.3Lowest 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+ | 48%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,917±$15k 40% above U.S. |
$113,310±$7kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$99,688±$21kLowest 23% above U.S. |
| Methuen and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $394,400±$61k 19% above U.S. |
$499,700±$17kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$306,900±$51kLowest 8% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,749±$91Highest 24% above U.S. |
$1,443±$984Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Methuen 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. |
$5,061Highest 62% above U.S. |
$4,842Lowest 55% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.4%±6.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.9%±22.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ripton and Methuen 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% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 29% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.2%±8.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.2%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ripton and Methuen 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 | — | #236 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Methuen | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | Methuen High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1 |
— |
| 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.