What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hanover has the highest household income ($190k).

Walpole has the most people working from home (28.2%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Hanover	Walpole
People
Population	14,845Lowest	26,388Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.9%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	41.8±1.4Highest 4% above MA	40.9±1.2Lowest about the MA average
	Hanover and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	26.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4%	25.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Hanover and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9%	16.9%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9%
	Walpole and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	56.8%Lowest MA: 47.3%	67.4%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.1%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9%	5.1%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9%
	Walpole and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$189,803±$23kHighest 83% above MA	$171,500±$16kLowest 65% above MA
	Hanover and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$755,400±$39kHighest 34% above MA	$687,100±$20kLowest 22% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,845±$341Lowest 5% above MA	$2,205±$222Highest 25% above MA
	Walpole and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,342Highest 56% above MA	$8,523Lowest 42% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	65%±23.8Highest MA: 51.8%	37.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Hanover and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.8%Highest MA: 10%	3.6%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.5%Highest MA: 62.5%	83.5%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978Highest 14 yrs newer than MA	1977Lowest 13 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minLowest 10% above MA	34 minHighest 15% above MA
Work from home	19.6%±4.8Lowest MA: 18.6%	28.2%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6%
	Walpole and Hanover 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	#69 of 282 in MA	#107 of 282 in MA
School district	Hanover · South Shore Regional Vocational Technical	Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole
High school in town	South Shore Vocational Technical High	Walpole High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.3Lowest	11.3Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.