Compare towns
Walpole vs Upton vs Canton vs Westford
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%).
Upton has the most affordable homes ($577k median).
Canton has the most renters (26.4% rent).
Westford has the highest household income ($187k).
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 | Upton | Canton | Westford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 26,388Highest |
8,189Lowest |
24,748 |
24,690 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.6% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+13%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+12.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
42.6±2.3 7% above MA |
42.8±1.2 7% above MA |
| Upton and Westford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25.1%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
22.9%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
25.6%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Westford and Walpole 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% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±2 MA: 17.9% |
14.6%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Upton 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% |
53.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
67.5% MA: 47.3% |
73.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1 MA: 7.9% |
5.3%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Westford 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 |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$143,381±$9kLowest 38% above MA |
$187,198±$10kHighest 80% above MA |
| Westford 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 |
$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
$710,600±$27k 26% above MA |
$748,500±$32kHighest 33% above MA |
| Westford and Canton 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 |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,315±$178 31% above MA |
$2,436±$422Highest 38% above MA |
| Westford and Canton 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 |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$6,560Lowest 9% above MA |
$9,695Highest 62% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
53%±8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Westford and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.6% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.2%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
1983Highest 19 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 15% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 28.2%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
27%±2.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Walpole and Westford 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #81 of 282 in MA | #20 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Nashoba Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Westford |
| High school in town | Walpole High | Blackstone Valley | Canton High | Westford Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
11.2Lowest |
13.1 |
14.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.