Compare towns
Walpole vs Bow vs Westford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Walpole has the most people working from home (28.2%).
Bow has the most affordable homes ($507k median).
Westford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.3%).
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 | Bow | Westford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 26,388Highest |
8,335Lowest |
24,690 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±1.2Lowest 5% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
42.8±1.2Highest 10% above U.S. |
| Westford and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25.1%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25.6%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Westford and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.9%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bow and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 67.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
73.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Westford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $171,500±$16kLowest 112% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16k 114% above U.S. |
$187,198±$10kHighest 132% above U.S. |
| Westford and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $687,100±$20k 107% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kLowest 52% above U.S. |
$748,500±$32kHighest 125% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,205±$222 56% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$2,436±$422Highest 72% above U.S. |
| Westford and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,523Lowest 173% above U.S. |
$9,584 207% above U.S. |
$9,695Highest 211% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
53%±8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Westford and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Walpole and Westford 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | #20 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole | Bow School District | Nashoba Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Westford |
| High school in town | Walpole High | Bow High School | Westford Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
12.8 |
14.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.