What stands out worked out from the figures below

Walpole has the most expensive homes ($687k median).

Thompson has the most affordable homes ($292k 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	Thompson
People
Population	26,388Highest	9,337Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.6% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	40.9±1.2Lowest 5% above U.S.	54.1±2.2Highest 39% above U.S.
Kids under 18	25.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22%	11.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	16.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	24.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	67.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	21.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Walpole and Thompson 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.	$93,629±$18kLowest 16% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$687,100±$20kHighest 107% above U.S.	$291,900±$24kLowest 12% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,205±$222Highest 56% above U.S.	$1,012±$344Lowest 28% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,523Highest 173% above U.S.	$3,822Lowest 23% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	37.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	54%±18.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Thompson and Walpole 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%	5.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	84.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S.	1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minHighest 27% above U.S.	32 minLowest 20% above U.S.
Work from home	28.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%	13.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#107 of 282 in MA	#130 of 149 in CT
School district	Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole	Thompson School District
High school in town	Walpole High	Tourtellotte Memorial High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.3Highest	7.9Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.