Compare towns
Ripton vs Townsend vs Andover 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 homeowners (90.9%).
Townsend has the most kids (21% under 18).
Andover has the most people working from home (29.6%).
Salisbury has the shortest commute (19 min average).
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 | Townsend | Andover | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 508Lowest |
9,100Highest |
616 |
1,200 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +7.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.7±14.2 23% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
49.2±5.1 26% above U.S. |
50.6±6.5Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Andover 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% |
21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.5%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend 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% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±4.3 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% |
35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,917±$15k 40% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$102,500±$38k 27% above U.S. |
$99,688±$21kLowest 23% above U.S. |
| Townsend 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. |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$382,900±$68k 15% above U.S. |
$306,900±$51kLowest 8% below U.S. |
| Townsend and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
$1,389±$364Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,443±$984 about the U.S. average |
| Townsend 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. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
$5,190 66% above U.S. |
$4,842Lowest 55% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
69.4%±47.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.9%±22.6Lowest 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 29% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
29.6%±12.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Andover and Ripton 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 | — | #136 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | North Middlesex | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | North Middlesex Regional | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1 |
— | — |
| 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.