Compare towns
Walpole vs Exeter vs Canton
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 highest household income ($172k).
Exeter has the most affordable homes ($457k median).
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 | Exeter | Canton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 26,388Highest |
16,151Lowest |
24,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±1.2Lowest 5% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
42.6±2.3 10% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.9%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Walpole and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 67.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
67.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter 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±$16kHighest 112% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$143,381±$9k 78% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $687,100±$20k 107% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$710,600±$27kHighest 114% above U.S. |
| 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 56% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223Lowest 31% above U.S. |
$2,315±$178Highest 64% above U.S. |
| Canton and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,523 173% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$6,560Lowest 110% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 27% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.7%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #81 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton |
| High school in town | Walpole High | Exeter High School | Canton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
12.1 |
13.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.