Compare towns
Reading vs Norwell 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 shortest commute (31 min average).
Norwell has the most kids (28.5% under 18).
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 | Norwell | Walpole |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,612 |
11,361Lowest |
26,388Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
39.2±1.4Lowest about the MA average |
40.9±1.2 about the MA average |
| Reading and Walpole 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% |
28.5%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
25.1%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Norwell 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%±2Lowest 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
69.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
67.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Walpole and Norwell 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 |
$188,699±$25kHighest 82% above MA |
$171,500±$16k 65% above MA |
| Norwell 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 |
$865,700±$35kHighest 54% above MA |
$687,100±$20kLowest 22% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273Lowest 13% above MA |
$2,215±$336Highest 26% above MA |
$2,205±$222 25% above MA |
| Norwell and Walpole 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$8,523Lowest 42% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
67.1%±24.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
37.8%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Norwell and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.2% MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
91.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 6% above MA |
35 minHighest 21% above MA |
34 min 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
27.1%±4.5Lowest 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 | #80 of 282 in MA | #107 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Reading | Norwell | Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole |
| High school in town | Reading Memorial High | Norwell High | Walpole High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
11.7 |
11.3Lowest |
| 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.