City profile · Massachusetts · Census ACS 2023

Walpole, MA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Walpole - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

5,989
Residents
$132,411
Median income
$572,000
Median home
$2,311
Median rent (state)

Walpole - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Walpole lands in the 91st percentile for household income and the 66th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

91st
percentile, household income
88th
percentile, home value
89th
percentile, median rent
66th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Walpole, MA

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 5,989 residents in Walpole, a small town within Massachusetts. The typical household in Walpole brings in $132,411 a year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 5.1%. Home values in Walpole run a median of $572,000, and the median resident age is 47.0 years. 62.3% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 67.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Walpole reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 947.9 incidents per 100,000 residents, below the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Walpole's yearly average temperature at 50.8°F with 49.6 inches of precipitation per year and 56.1 inches of snowfall.

Massachusetts carries a cost-of-living premium: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Massachusetts scores 105.8 (Above Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $2,311 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $330 across Massachusetts, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Natural-hazard exposure scores 92.0 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

5,989 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Massachusetts

Median Household Income

$132,411 /yr

Poverty 5.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

105.8 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Massachusetts average

How does Walpole compare to other US cities?

Where Walpole sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 91% higher than other cities
Home value 88% pricier than other cities
Median rent 89% pricier than other cities
Safety 66% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Massachusetts and the picture shifts: Walpole ranks #70 of 149 Massachusetts cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Walpole against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Massachusetts only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Massachusetts-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher places Walpole toward the top of Massachusetts's cities

Among the 247 Massachusetts cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Walpole ranks #51 - the 79th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Walpole only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#42 of 233
82nd percentile in Massachusetts
Median Gross Rent
#101 of 247
39th percentile in Massachusetts
Median Home Value
#95 of 240
60th percentile in Massachusetts
Poverty Rate
#94 of 247
62nd percentile in Massachusetts
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#51 of 247
79th percentile in Massachusetts

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Massachusetts only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

91stIncome percentile
66thSafety percentile

91st percentile nationally for median household income · 66th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Walpole's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Walpole's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 56 Avg. percentile National median
Walpole's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Walpole's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$572,000 12th percentile more affordable than 12% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). This entry sits in this band. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Walpole $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Walpole, MA Walpole, MA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Walpole, MA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Walpole, MA median $132,411/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Walpole, MA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Walpole, MA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 62.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 5.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 67.5%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
5,989
Median Income
$132,411
Median Home Value
$572,000
Median Age
47.0
Poverty Rate
5.1%
Labor force participation
67.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
62.3%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
947.9
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
133.2
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
814.7
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
50.8°F
Annual Precipitation
49.6"
Annual Snowfall
56.1"

Schools

Total Schools
7
Public schools in this city

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
68.9%
Carpool
0.0%
Public Transit
5.1%
Walk
0.6%
Work from Home
23.7%
Other
1.7%

Based on 3,167 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Massachusetts - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$160
avg/month
Natural Gas
$110
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$60
avg/month
Total Utilities
$330
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Massachusetts state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Massachusetts state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Walpole sits in

Cost of Living Index
105.8
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$2,311/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
92.0 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Massachusetts

West Concord
5,997 people
Sharon
6,022 people
Yarmouth Port
5,825 people
North Scituate
6,163 people
Salisbury
5,735 people
Ware
5,723 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Walpole's 5,989 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Maize, KS
5,990 people
Hilton, NY
5,990 people
North Fort Lewis, WA
5,990 people
Homestead Meadows North, TX
5,987 people
Hockinson, WA
5,993 people
Oak View, CA
5,984 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Walpole's $132,411 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Stansbury Park, UT
$132,429 median income
Holly Springs, NC
$132,435 median income
Syracuse, UT
$132,459 median income
Woxall, PA
$132,361 median income
Bayview CDP (Contra Costa County), CA
$132,356 median income
Mahtomedi, MN
$132,326 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Walpole, MA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Walpole, MA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 90.9% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 3.5% White 90.9% Black or African American 0.9% Asian 4.0% American Indian 0.6% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.6% Two or more races 3.0% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Walpole compares to nearby Massachusetts cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Walpole (this city) 5,989 $132,411
West Concord 5,997 $178,979
Sharon 6,022 $183,239
Yarmouth Port 5,825 $108,563
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MA FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Walpole, MA?

What is the population of Walpole, MA? +

5,989 people live in Walpole, MA according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Walpole, MA? +

Median annual household income in Walpole runs $132,411, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Walpole? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Walpole; the closest available measure is the Massachusetts state average, a cost of living index of 105.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Massachusetts vary by metro area.

Is Walpole, MA safe? +

Walpole has a total crime rate of 947.9 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Walpole, MA? +

Homes in Walpole carry a median value of $572,000, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Walpole? +

The average annual temperature in Walpole runs 50.8°F, 49.6 inches of precipitation, and 56.1 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.