Compare towns
Norwood vs Upton vs Walpole
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Norwood has the most renters (46% rent).
Upton has the oldest population (median age 46.4).
Walpole has the most people working from home (28.2%).
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 | Norwood | Upton | Walpole |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 31,542Highest |
8,189Lowest |
26,388 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
40.9±1.2 about the MA average |
| Upton and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
25.1%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Walpole and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±1.4 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Norwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.4% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
67.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Walpole and Norwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,030±$11kLowest about the MA average |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$171,500±$16kHighest 65% above MA |
| Walpole and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $651,700±$13k 16% above MA |
$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
$687,100±$20kHighest 22% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,116±$83 20% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,205±$222Highest 25% above MA |
| Walpole and Norwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,111Lowest about the MA average |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$8,523Highest 42% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.3%±7.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
37.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Norwood and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.8%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 4% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
34 min 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 16.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
28.2%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Walpole and Upton 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 | #176 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #107 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Norwood | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole |
| High school in town | Norwood High | Blackstone Valley | Walpole High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5Highest |
11.2Lowest |
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.