Compare towns
Walpole vs Westford vs Milton
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 affordable homes ($687k median).
Westford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.3%).
Milton has the most expensive homes ($933k 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.
| Measure | Walpole | Westford | Milton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 26,388 |
24,690Lowest |
28,587Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.6% MA: +7.4% |
+12.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
42.8±1.2Highest 7% above MA |
41.1±1.8 about the MA average |
| Westford and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
25.6%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
25.3%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Westford and Milton 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% |
14.6%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±1.8 MA: 17.9% |
| Walpole and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 67.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
73.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
71.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.3%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
9.7%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $171,500±$16kLowest 65% above MA |
$187,198±$10k 80% above MA |
$188,529±$15kHighest 81% above MA |
| Milton and Westford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $687,100±$20kLowest 22% above MA |
$748,500±$32k 33% above MA |
$933,200±$31kHighest 66% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,205±$222 25% above MA |
$2,436±$422Highest 38% above MA |
$1,474±$281Lowest 16% below MA |
| Westford and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,523Lowest 42% above MA |
$9,695Highest 62% above MA |
$9,677 61% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
53%±8Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±20.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Westford and Milton 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% |
4.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
1983Highest 19 yrs newer than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 15% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
31 min 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 28.2%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
27%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
29.7%±2.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Milton and Walpole 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 | #20 of 282 in MA | #55 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole | Nashoba Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Westford | Milton |
| High school in town | Walpole High | Westford Academy | Milton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
14.7Highest |
12.4 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.