Compare towns
Walpole vs Acton vs Reading vs Sharon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Walpole has the most affordable homes ($687k median).
Acton has the most people working from home (35.9%).
Reading has the shortest commute (31 min average).
Sharon has the highest household income ($192k).
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 | Walpole | Acton | Reading | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 26,388Highest |
24,155 |
25,612 |
18,574Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
44.5±0.8Highest 11% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
42.5±1 6% above MA |
| Acton and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25.1%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.2%±2.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Sharon and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.9%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±2.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Reading and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 67.4% MA: 47.3% |
79.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
76.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Walpole and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $171,500±$16k 65% above MA |
$158,230±$14kLowest 52% above MA |
$165,912±$13k 60% above MA |
$191,835±$19kHighest 85% above MA |
| Sharon and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $687,100±$20kLowest 22% above MA |
$807,300±$20k 44% above MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$737,100±$33k 31% above MA |
| Reading and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,205±$222 25% above MA |
$1,986±$155Lowest 13% above MA |
$1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$2,310±$345Highest 31% above MA |
| Sharon and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,523Lowest 42% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$9,320 56% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
47.7%±11.3 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
49%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Sharon and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.6% MA: 10% |
3.4% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5% MA: 62.5% |
74.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.4% MA: 62.5% |
87.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 15% above MA |
35 min 19% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
39 minHighest 33% above MA |
| Work from home | 28.2%±4.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
35.9%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
31.5%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Acton and Sharon 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 | #107 of 282 in MA | #13 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #23 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole | Acton-Boxborough | Reading | Sharon |
| High school in town | Walpole High | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | Reading Memorial High | Sharon High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
13.5Highest |
12.1 |
11.9 |
| 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.