Compare towns
Milton vs Ware vs Walpole vs Boston
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).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Walpole has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.6%).
Boston has the most renters (64.3% rent).
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 | Ware | Walpole | Boston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,587 |
10,048Lowest |
26,388 |
666,442Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+9.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.1±1.8 about the MA average |
43.1±4.7Highest 8% above MA |
40.9±1.2 about the MA average |
33.3±0.2Lowest 17% below MA |
| Ware 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% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
25.1%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±0.3Lowest 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% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
13%±0.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Ware 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% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
67.4% MA: 47.3% |
54.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.7%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
15%±0.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $188,529±$15kHighest 81% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$171,500±$16k 65% above MA |
$97,344±$2k 6% below 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 |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$687,100±$20k 22% above MA |
$731,700±$10k 30% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,474±$281 16% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$2,205±$222Highest 25% above MA |
$2,147±$25 22% 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 |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$8,523 42% above MA |
$4,456 26% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±20.9 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
37.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±1.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Boston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
3.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
35.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1947 17 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 8% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 29.7%±2.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
28.2%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
21.3%±0.5 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #107 of 282 in MA | #258 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Milton | Ware | Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston |
| High school in town | Milton High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Walpole High | Boston Latin School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.4 |
11.1Lowest |
11.3 |
18.7Highest |
| 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.