Compare towns
Walpole vs Whately 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%).
Whately has the most affordable homes ($432k median).
Westford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.3%).
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 | Whately | Westford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 26,388Highest |
1,499Lowest |
24,690 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.6% MA: +7.4% |
+7.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+12.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
49.3±6.7Highest 23% above MA |
42.8±1.2 7% above MA |
| Whately 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% |
16.4%±3.8Lowest 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% |
24.5%±6.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.6%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Whately and Walpole 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% |
47.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
73.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
2.5%±1.4Lowest 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 |
$116,563±$15kLowest 12% 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 |
$431,500±$22kLowest 23% below MA |
$748,500±$32kHighest 33% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,205±$222 25% above MA |
$977±$125Lowest 45% below MA |
$2,436±$422Highest 38% above MA |
| Westford and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,523 42% above MA |
$5,027Lowest 16% below MA |
$9,695Highest 62% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
26.7%±29Lowest MA: 51.8% |
53%±8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Westford and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.6% MA: 10% |
5.4%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
88.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
1974Lowest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1983Highest 19 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 15% above MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 28.2%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.4%±8.5Lowest 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 | — | #20 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole | Whately | Nashoba Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Westford |
| High school in town | Walpole High | None in town | Westford Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
— | 14.7Highest |
| 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.