Compare towns
Reading vs Hanover 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 expensive homes ($809k median).
Hanover has the highest household income ($190k).
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 | Reading | Hanover | Walpole |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,612 |
14,845Lowest |
26,388Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.9% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
41.8±1.4 4% above MA |
40.9±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
| Reading and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
26.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
25.1%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Hanover and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Reading and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 66.3% MA: 47.3% |
56.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
67.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Walpole and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $165,912±$13kLowest 60% above MA |
$189,803±$23kHighest 83% above MA |
$171,500±$16k 65% above MA |
| Hanover 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±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$755,400±$39k 34% above MA |
$687,100±$20kLowest 22% above MA |
| Reading and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$1,845±$341Lowest 5% 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 | $9,320 56% above MA |
$9,342Highest 56% above MA |
$8,523Lowest 42% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
65%±23.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
37.8%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Hanover and Walpole 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% |
4.8%Highest MA: 10% |
3.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
84.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1978Highest 14 yrs newer than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 6% above MA |
32 min 10% above MA |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.6%±4.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
28.2%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Reading 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 | #50 of 282 in MA | #69 of 282 in MA | #107 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Reading | Hanover · South Shore Regional Vocational Technical | Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole |
| High school in town | Reading Memorial High | South Shore Vocational Technical High | Walpole High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
10.3Lowest |
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.