Compare towns
Millis vs Reading vs Walpole vs Medfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Millis has the most affordable homes ($604k median).
Reading has the most renters (17.6% rent).
Walpole has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.6%).
Medfield has the highest household income ($219k).
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 | Millis | Reading | Walpole | Medfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,888 |
25,612 |
26,388Highest |
6,849Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±3Highest 16% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
40.9±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
45.7±5.4 14% above MA |
| Millis and Medfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±2.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
25.1%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±3.9 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+ | 23.5%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Millis and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
66.3% MA: 47.3% |
67.4% MA: 47.3% |
72.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Walpole and Millis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $155,996±$9kLowest 50% above MA |
$165,912±$13k 60% above MA |
$171,500±$16k 65% above MA |
$218,946±$34kHighest 111% above MA |
| Medfield and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $603,500±$31kLowest 7% above MA |
$809,000±$22k 44% above MA |
$687,100±$20k 22% above MA |
$815,300±$46kHighest 45% above MA |
| Medfield and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,696±$279Lowest 4% below MA |
$1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$2,205±$222Highest 25% above MA |
$2,014±$531 14% above MA |
| Walpole and Medfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,344 56% above MA |
$9,320 56% above MA |
$8,523Lowest 42% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.5%±16.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
37.8%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
47.8%±17.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Millis and Medfield 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% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
3.6% MA: 10% |
3%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.2% MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 5% above MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
32 min 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.5%±4.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
28.2%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
32.8%±6.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Medfield and Reading 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 | #63 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #107 of 282 in MA | #26 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Millis | Reading | Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole | — |
| High school in town | Millis High School | Reading Memorial High | Walpole High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
12.1Highest |
11.3 |
— |
| 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.