Compare towns
Ripton vs North Reading vs Andover
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%).
North Reading has the most kids (22.3% under 18).
Andover has the most people working from home (29.6%).
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 | North Reading | Andover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 508Lowest |
15,765Highest |
616 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 47.7±14.2 23% above U.S. |
43±2.8Lowest 11% above U.S. |
49.2±5.1Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Andover and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.8%±6.3 U.S.: 22% |
22.3%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.5%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton and Andover 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% |
56.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,917±$15k 40% above U.S. |
$147,768±$25kHighest 83% above U.S. |
$102,500±$38kLowest 27% above U.S. |
| North Reading 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. |
$710,500±$24kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$382,900±$68kLowest 15% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $2,259±$356Highest 60% above U.S. |
$1,389±$364Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,915Lowest 58% above U.S. |
$9,693Highest 211% above U.S. |
$5,190 66% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
75.5%±25.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
69.4%±47.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| North Reading and Andover 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% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.2%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.1%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
29.6%±12.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Andover and North Reading 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 | — | #33 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | North Reading | — |
| High school in town | None in town | North Reading High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.1 |
— |
| 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.