Compare towns
Walpole vs Dunstable vs Canton
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 people working from home (28.2%).
Dunstable has the highest household income ($209k).
Canton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
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 | Dunstable | Canton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 26,388Highest |
3,408Lowest |
24,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.6% MA: +7.4% |
+5.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+13%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
41.5±2.4 4% above MA |
42.6±2.3Highest 7% above MA |
| Canton and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25.1%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.4%±4.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.9%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Walpole and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.9%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
15%±2.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Canton 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% MA: 47.3% |
62.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
67.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
7.1%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Dunstable and Walpole 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 |
$208,512±$23kHighest 101% above MA |
$143,381±$9kLowest 38% above MA |
| Dunstable 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±$20k 22% above MA |
$674,000±$30kLowest 20% above MA |
$710,600±$27kHighest 26% above MA |
| Canton and Walpole 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 |
$1,325±$637Lowest 25% below MA |
$2,315±$178Highest 31% above MA |
| Canton and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,523 42% above MA |
$9,020Highest 51% above MA |
$6,560Lowest 9% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60%±77.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Dunstable and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.6% MA: 10% |
0.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.2%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5% MA: 62.5% |
96.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minLowest 15% above MA |
34 min 18% above MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
| Work from home | 28.2%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
20%±3.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Walpole and Canton 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 | #4 of 282 in MA | #81 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole | Groton-Dunstable | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton |
| High school in town | Walpole High | None in town | Canton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
— | 13.1Highest |
| 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.