Compare towns
Reading vs Buzzards Bay vs Milton vs Walpole
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
Buzzards Bay has the most affordable homes ($455k median).
Milton has the most expensive homes ($933k median).
Walpole has the youngest population (median age 40.9).
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 | Reading | Buzzards Bay | Milton | Walpole |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,612 |
2,909Lowest |
28,587Highest |
26,388 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
54.4±5.9Highest 36% above MA |
41.1±1.8 about the MA average |
40.9±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
6.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
25.3%±2.2Highest 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+ | 20.7%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
32.3%±5.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±1.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 66.3% MA: 47.3% |
29.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
71.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
67.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.9%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
9.7%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Milton and Buzzards Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $165,912±$13k 60% above MA |
$94,388±$12kLowest 9% below MA |
$188,529±$15kHighest 81% above MA |
$171,500±$16k 65% above 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 | $809,000±$22k 44% above MA |
$454,500±$28kLowest 19% below MA |
$933,200±$31kHighest 66% above MA |
$687,100±$20k 22% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$1,484±$601 16% below MA |
$1,474±$281Lowest 16% below 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 | $9,320 56% above MA |
$3,405Lowest 43% below MA |
$9,677Highest 61% above MA |
$8,523 42% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
37.9%±20.3 MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±20.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
37.8%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Milton and Buzzards Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.3%Highest MA: 10% |
4.7% MA: 10% |
3.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% MA: 62.5% |
75.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 6% above MA |
32 min 10% above MA |
31 min 8% above MA |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±6.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
29.7%±2.9 MA: 18.6% |
28.2%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Reading 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 | #50 of 282 in MA | — | #55 of 282 in MA | #107 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Reading | — | Milton | Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole |
| High school in town | Reading Memorial High | — | Milton High | Walpole High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
— | 12.4Highest |
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.