Compare towns
Milton vs Stow vs Reading 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).
Stow has the most people working from home (36.6%).
Reading has the most renters (17.6% 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 | Stow | Reading | Walpole |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,587Highest |
7,165Lowest |
25,612 |
26,388 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+8.9% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.1±1.8 about the MA average |
44.1±4.4Highest 10% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
40.9±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
| Stow and Reading 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% |
22.3%±4.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2 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% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Reading and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 71.9% MA: 47.3% |
75.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
67.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.7%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $188,529±$15kHighest 81% above MA |
$185,809±$22k 79% above MA |
$165,912±$13kLowest 60% above MA |
$171,500±$16k 65% above MA |
| Milton and Stow 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 |
$729,600±$39k 30% above MA |
$809,000±$22k 44% above MA |
$687,100±$20kLowest 22% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,474±$281Lowest 16% below MA |
$1,782±$126 about the MA average |
$1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$2,205±$222Highest 25% above MA |
| Walpole and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,677 61% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$9,320 56% above MA |
$8,523Lowest 42% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±20.9 MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
37.8%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Stow and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% MA: 10% |
5.2%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2% MA: 62.5% |
85.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 8% above MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
34 min 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 29.7%±2.9 MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
28.2%±4.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Stow 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 | #55 of 282 in MA | #44 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #107 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Milton | Nashoba | Reading | Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole |
| High school in town | Milton High | None in town | Reading Memorial High | Walpole High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.4Highest |
— | 12.1 |
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.