Compare towns
Milton vs Marblehead 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 shortest commute (31 min average).
Marblehead has the oldest population (median age 49.1).
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 | Marblehead | Walpole |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,587Highest |
20,413Lowest |
26,388 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.1±1.8 about the MA average |
49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
40.9±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 25.3%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.5Lowest 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%±1.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 71.9% MA: 47.3% |
78.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
67.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.7%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $188,529±$15kHighest 81% above MA |
$182,132±$28k 75% above MA |
$171,500±$16kLowest 65% above MA |
| Milton and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $933,200±$31k 66% above MA |
$943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA |
$687,100±$20kLowest 22% above MA |
| Marblehead and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,474±$281Lowest 16% below MA |
$1,764±$147 about the MA average |
$2,205±$222Highest 25% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,677Highest 61% above MA |
$8,309Lowest 39% above MA |
$8,523 42% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±20.9 MA: 51.8% |
49.5%±8.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
37.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Marblehead and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Highest MA: 10% |
4.4% MA: 10% |
3.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945 19 yrs older than MA |
1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 8% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 29.7%±2.9 MA: 18.6% |
34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
28.2%±4.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Marblehead and Milton 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 | #47 of 282 in MA | #107 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Milton | Marblehead | Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole |
| High school in town | Milton High | Marblehead High | Walpole High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.4Highest |
10.7Lowest |
11.3 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.