Compare towns
Walpole vs Harvard vs Reading 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 kids (25.1% under 18).
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
Reading has the shortest commute (31 min average).
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 | Harvard | Reading | Canton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 26,388Highest |
6,927Lowest |
25,612 |
24,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.6% MA: +7.4% |
+5.1% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+13%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
44.1±4.7Highest 10% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
42.6±2.3 7% above MA |
| Harvard and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25.1%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±4.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2 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% |
16.3%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±2 MA: 17.9% |
| Reading and Canton 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
66.3% MA: 47.3% |
67.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Walpole and Canton 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 |
$213,996±$24kHighest 106% above MA |
$165,912±$13k 60% above MA |
$143,381±$9kLowest 38% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $687,100±$20kLowest 22% above MA |
$833,600±$54kHighest 48% above MA |
$809,000±$22k 44% above MA |
$710,600±$27k 26% above MA |
| Harvard and Reading 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 |
$1,321±$424Lowest 25% below MA |
$1,991±$273 13% above 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$9,320 56% above MA |
$6,560Lowest 9% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
72.5%±51.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Harvard 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% |
4.5% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.2%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5% MA: 62.5% |
89.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.4% MA: 62.5% |
73.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 15% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
| Work from home | 28.2%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
44.8%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #107 of 282 in MA | #12 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #81 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole | Harvard | Reading | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton |
| High school in town | Walpole High | The Bromfield High School | Reading Memorial High | Canton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
11.0Lowest |
12.1 |
13.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.