What stands out worked out from the figures below

Walpole has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.6%).

Springfield has the most affordable homes ($245k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Walpole	Springfield
People
Population	26,388Lowest	154,749Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4%	+1.9%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	40.9±1.2Highest about the MA average	33.7±0.5Lowest 16% below MA
Kids under 18	25.1%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4%	24.2%±0.9Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Walpole and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.9%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9%	13.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	67.4%Highest MA: 47.3%	20.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9%	7.5%±0.5Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$171,500±$16kHighest 65% above MA	$52,656±$2kLowest 49% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$687,100±$20kHighest 22% above MA	$245,000±$4kLowest 56% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,205±$222Highest 25% above MA	$1,144±$55Lowest 35% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,523Highest 42% above MA	$3,695Lowest 38% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	37.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8%	57.7%±3.1Highest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	3.6%Lowest MA: 10%	25.8%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.5%Highest MA: 62.5%	49.6%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA	1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minHighest 15% above MA	20 minLowest 31% below MA
Work from home	28.2%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6%	8.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#107 of 282 in MA	#276 of 282 in MA
School district	Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole	Springfield
High school in town	Walpole High	Springfield Central High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.3Lowest	12.2Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.