What stands out worked out from the figures below

Reading has the most expensive homes ($809k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Reading	Walpole
People
Population	25,612Lowest	26,388Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA	40.9±1.2Lowest 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%	25.1%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4%
	Walpole and Reading 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%	16.9%±1.7Lowest 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%	67.4%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9%	5.1%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$165,912±$13kLowest 60% above MA	$171,500±$16kHighest 65% above MA
	Walpole and Reading 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	$687,100±$20kLowest 22% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,991±$273Lowest 13% 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	$9,320Highest 56% above MA	$8,523Lowest 42% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8%	37.8%±9.1Highest MA: 51.8%
	Walpole and Reading 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%	3.6%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%	83.5%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA	1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minLowest 6% above MA	34 minHighest 15% above MA
Work from home	30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6%	28.2%±4.3Lowest 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	#107 of 282 in MA
School district	Reading	Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole
High school in town	Reading Memorial High	Walpole High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.1Highest	11.3Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.