Compare towns
Walpole vs Worcester 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%).
Worcester has the most renters (57.2% 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 | Worcester | Westford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 26,388 |
207,055Highest |
24,690Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+12.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±1.2 about the MA average |
33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
42.8±1.2Highest 7% above MA |
| Westford and Walpole 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% |
19.6%±0.8Lowest 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%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
14.6%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Walpole and Westford 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% |
35.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
73.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.3%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $171,500±$16k 65% above MA |
$70,102±$2kLowest 33% below 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 |
$374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA |
$748,500±$32kHighest 33% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,205±$222 25% above MA |
$1,487±$38Lowest 16% 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 |
$4,733Lowest 21% below MA |
$9,695Highest 62% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
53%±8 MA: 51.8% |
| Worcester and Westford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.6% MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5% MA: 62.5% |
42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1983Highest 19 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 15% above MA |
24 minLowest 17% below MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 28.2%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1Lowest 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 | #266 of 282 in MA | #20 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Nashoba Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Westford |
| High school in town | Walpole High | South High Community | Westford Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
14.6 |
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.