Compare towns
Ripton vs Salisbury vs Wells 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 highest household income ($113k).
Salisbury has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Wells has the most expensive homes ($485k median).
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 | Salisbury | Wells | Andover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 508Lowest |
1,200 |
11,713Highest |
616 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+18% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 47.7±14.2Lowest 23% above U.S. |
50.6±6.5 30% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
49.2±5.1 26% above U.S. |
| Wells and Salisbury 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% |
16.6%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.5%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Wells and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 30.5%±7.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.4%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wells and Ripton 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% |
34.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$99,688±$21k 23% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$102,500±$38k 27% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Andover 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. |
$306,900±$51kLowest 8% below U.S. |
$485,300±$23kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$382,900±$68k 15% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,443±$984Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$1,389±$364 about the U.S. average |
| Salisbury and Andover 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. |
$4,842 55% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$5,190Highest 66% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.9%±22.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
69.4%±47.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Andover and Ripton 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% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 29% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
29.6%±12.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Andover and Wells 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 | — | — | #22 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Wells High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.4 |
— |
| 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.