Compare towns
Quincy 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
Quincy has the most affordable homes ($619k median).
Walpole has the most homeowners (83.5%).
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 | Quincy | Walpole | Boston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 102,114 |
26,388Lowest |
666,442Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6% MA: +7.4% |
+9.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.6±0.8 4% below MA |
40.9±1.2Highest about the MA average |
33.3±0.2Lowest 17% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 14.5%±1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
25.1%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±0.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 17.7%±1.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
13%±0.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Quincy and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
67.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
54.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
15%±0.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $98,882±$5k 5% below MA |
$171,500±$16kHighest 65% above MA |
$97,344±$2kLowest 6% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $618,500±$14kLowest 10% above MA |
$687,100±$20k 22% above MA |
$731,700±$10kHighest 30% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,118±$59Lowest 20% above 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 | $6,381 6% above MA |
$8,523Highest 42% above MA |
$4,456Lowest 26% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.7%±3.5 MA: 51.8% |
37.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±1.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Boston and Quincy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.6% MA: 10% |
3.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 45.2% MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
35.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1947Lowest 17 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 19% above MA |
34 min 15% above MA |
30 minLowest 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 21.2%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
28.2%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.3%±0.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #147 of 282 in MA | #107 of 282 in MA | #258 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quincy | Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston |
| High school in town | North Quincy High | Walpole High | Boston Latin School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.5 |
11.3Lowest |
18.7Highest |
| 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.