Population 18,922 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Walpole
Household size in Walpole
| Period | Walpole | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.73 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.73 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.81 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.79 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.07 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Walpole average 2.79 people, a bit above the national 2.65, so families with children are somewhat more common here. Since 2006–10, household size has crept up from 2.73, even as the national average fell. Walpole has larger households than at least four in five Massachusetts cities.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Walpole
| Period | Walpole | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.8 | 38.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.2 | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.9 | 40.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.7 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | −1.1 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Walpole is 41.7 years old, a bit older than the national median of 40.1. The median age has dropped from 42.8 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose. Residents skew youngest in the southwest and oldest in the northeast.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Walpole
| Period | Walpole | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.9% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 5.1% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.0% | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.6% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Walpole: 5.6% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share has edged down 1.3 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Walpole has a lower share of single-parent households than at least four in five Massachusetts cities.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Walpole
Renters in Walpole
| Period | Walpole | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.6% | 36.8% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 17.0% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 18.5% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 15.9% | 38.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.7 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 15.9% of households in Walpole rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Just over three in ten owners (31.6%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the south and least common in the northwest. The renter share is down 0.7 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Walpole
| Period | Walpole | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.8% | 8.1% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.5% | 7.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.1% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.6% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.8 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Walpole: 5.6% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. The picture is much the same across the Boston area. Since 2006–10, vacancy has edged up 0.8 points, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Walpole
| Period | Walpole | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1974 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1976 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1975 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1979 | 1964 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in Walpole are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1979, versus 1980 nationally. Homes here are newer than in the wider Boston area, where the median home dates to 1964. The median year built has moved up from 1974 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northwest, while the east has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Walpole
| Period | Walpole | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,244 | $1,171 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,044 | $1,251 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,382 | $1,537 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,820 | $2,051 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$576 | +$881 | +$775 | +$606 |
The median renter in Walpole pays $1,820 a month for rent and utilities, above the national median of $1,571. Locally, though, rents here are lower than in the wider Boston area ($2,051). Rents are up $576 a month from 2006–10, a 46% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 30.5% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Walpole
Bachelor's degrees in Walpole
| Period | Walpole | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 48.9% | 42.2% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 49.3% | 44.1% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 53.2% | 48.2% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 67.4% | 51.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +18.5 pts | +9.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Walpole: 67.4% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 18.5 points, mirroring the country.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Walpole
| Period | Walpole | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 95.7% | 89.8% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.6% | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.8% | 91.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 98.2% | 91.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.5 pts | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Walpole: 98.2% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 2.5 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Only 23 of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Walpole
| Period | Walpole | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.8% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.5% | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.2% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.3% | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.4 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.3%, unemployment in Walpole is close to the national rate of 5.4%. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Walpole compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walpole | 2.79 | 41.7 | 5.6% | 15.9% | 5.6% | 1979 | $1,820 | 67.4% | 98.2% | 5.3% |
| East Walpole | 2.89 | 38.8 | 4.9% | 19.0% | 11.8% | 1969 | $2,447 | 68.6% | 98.1% | 4.5% |
| South Walpole | 3.31 | 37.1 | 2.2% | 16.0% | 2.5% | 1978 | $1,445 | 67.9% | 96.9% | 4.9% |
| Norwood | 2.37 | 41.8 | 9.2% | 46.0% | 4.2% | 1961 | $1,895 | 55.2% | 93.4% | 3.7% |
| Medfield | 2.79 | 44.3 | 4.8% | 14.0% | 4.0% | 1970 | $1,980 | 77.7% | 97.4% | 4.2% |
| Norfolk | 2.94 | 43.0 | 3.3% | 5.1% | 3.5% | 1981 | $1,931 | 68.3% | 96.4% | 4.6% |
| Sharon | 2.96 | 42.4 | 5.9% | 12.4% | 4.4% | 1971 | $2,696 | 77.5% | 98.7% | 2.9% |
| Westwood | 2.95 | 43.7 | 5.2% | 12.6% | 4.7% | 1970 | $2,595 | 72.8% | 95.7% | 1.9% |
| Foxborough | 2.36 | 41.9 | 14.2% | 45.0% | 3.0% | 1969 | $1,724 | 51.0% | 96.8% | 5.4% |
| Foxboro | 2.85 | 44.3 | 6.8% | 14.4% | 5.9% | 1978 | $1,959 | 61.5% | 96.4% | 5.4% |
| Millis | 2.69 | 45.5 | 5.5% | 16.9% | 4.9% | 1972 | $1,589 | 55.9% | 96.0% | 4.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Fort Payne, AL · Estelle, LA · Evergreen Park, IL · Exton, PA · Fairfax Station, VA · Fairland, MD · Fillmore, CA · Forest City, NC · Forest Lake, MN · Forked River, NJ
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Walpole. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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