Compare towns
Milton vs Sutton vs Boston vs Walpole
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Milton has the most expensive homes ($933k median).
Sutton has the most affordable homes ($523k median).
Boston has the most renters (64.3% rent).
Walpole has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.6%).
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 | Milton | Sutton | Boston | Walpole |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,587 |
9,452Lowest |
666,442Highest |
26,388 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.4% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.1±1.8 about the MA average |
44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
33.3±0.2Lowest 17% below MA |
40.9±1.2 about the MA average |
| Sutton and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25.3%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±0.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
25.1%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Milton and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±1.8 MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
13%±0.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Sutton and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 71.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
54.9% MA: 47.3% |
67.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.7%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
15%±0.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $188,529±$15kHighest 81% above MA |
$147,125±$25k 42% above MA |
$97,344±$2kLowest 6% below MA |
$171,500±$16k 65% above MA |
| Milton and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $933,200±$31kHighest 66% above MA |
$523,100±$47kLowest 7% below MA |
$731,700±$10k 30% above MA |
$687,100±$20k 22% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,474±$281 16% below MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
$2,147±$25 22% above MA |
$2,205±$222Highest 25% above MA |
| Walpole and Boston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,677Highest 61% above MA |
$6,763 13% above MA |
$4,456Lowest 26% below MA |
$8,523 42% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±20.9 MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±1.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
37.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Boston and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
16.6%Highest MA: 10% |
3.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
35.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1947 17 yrs older than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 8% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
30 min 4% above MA |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 29.7%±2.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
21.3%±0.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
28.2%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Milton 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 | #55 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #258 of 282 in MA | #107 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Sutton | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston | Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole |
| High school in town | — | Sutton High School | Boston Latin School | Walpole High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6 |
18.7Highest |
11.3Lowest |
| 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.