Compare towns
Dover vs Needham vs Upton vs Walpole
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dover has the highest household income ($250k).
Needham has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Upton has the most affordable homes ($577k median).
Walpole has the youngest population (median age 40.9).
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 | Dover | Needham | Upton | Walpole |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,930Lowest |
32,459Highest |
8,189 |
26,388 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.9±2.3 12% above MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
40.9±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
| Upton and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 26%±5.2 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
25.1%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Needham and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 84.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
81.9% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
67.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±2.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Dover and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $250,001Highest 140% above MA |
$214,308±$13k 106% above MA |
$155,508±$33kLowest 50% above MA |
$171,500±$16k 65% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,340,300±$117kHighest 138% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43k 111% above MA |
$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
$687,100±$20k 22% above MA |
| Dover and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,917±$2kHighest 66% above MA |
$2,409±$183 37% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,205±$222 25% above MA |
| Dover and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$8,376Lowest 40% above MA |
$8,523 42% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
37.8%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Needham and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.7%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
3.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 19% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
34 min 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 34.2%±6.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
28.2%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Dover and Needham 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 | #1 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #107 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dover · Dover-Sherborn | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole |
| High school in town | Dover-Sherborn Regional High | — | Blackstone Valley | Walpole High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
— | 11.2 |
11.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.