Compare towns
Mashpee vs Reading vs Walpole vs Harwich
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mashpee has the most affordable homes ($562k median).
Reading has the most expensive homes ($809k median).
Walpole has the most kids (25.1% under 18).
Harwich has the shortest commute (25 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 | Mashpee | Reading | Walpole | Harwich |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,384 |
25,612 |
26,388Highest |
13,598Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6% MA: +7.4% |
+9.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.9±1.8 40% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
40.9±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
58.6±1.5Highest 47% above MA |
| Harwich and Mashpee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
25.1%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
11.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Walpole and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 33.1%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
35.8%±3.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Harwich and Mashpee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
66.3% MA: 47.3% |
67.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Walpole and Mashpee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $95,299±$13kLowest 8% below MA |
$165,912±$13k 60% above MA |
$171,500±$16kHighest 65% above MA |
$96,966±$13k 7% below MA |
| Walpole and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $562,200±$29kLowest about the MA average |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$687,100±$20k 22% above MA |
$658,600±$26k 17% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,776±$330Lowest about the MA average |
$1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$2,205±$222Highest 25% above MA |
$2,017±$738 14% above MA |
| Walpole and Harwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,762Lowest 37% below MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$8,523 42% above MA |
$4,189 30% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.7%±14.5 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
37.8%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
56.7%±24.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Harwich and Mashpee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.5%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.6% MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.4% MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
84.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 24 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 6% below MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
25 minLowest 14% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.5%±3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
28.2%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
17.3%±4.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Reading and Walpole 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 | #100 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #107 of 282 in MA | #157 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Mashpee | Reading | Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole | Monomoy Regional School District · Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Mashpee Middle-High School | Reading Memorial High | Walpole High | Monomoy Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.6Lowest |
12.1Highest |
11.3 |
11.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.