Town · Massachusetts
Walpole, Massachusetts
Walpole, town, in Norfolk County, Massachusetts. Walpole had 26,237 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 0.5% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 26,383 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 26,388 (±34). GEOID 2502172495.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
26,237
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 26,383 · ACS 2020-2024: 26,388 ±34
Median household income
$171,500
±$15,740 (90% margin)
Massachusetts: $103,960
Median home value
$687,100
±$19,657 (90% margin)
Massachusetts: $562,100
Median gross rent
$2,205
±$222 (90% margin)
Massachusetts: $1,762
Where is Walpole and what county is it in?
Walpole is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts. It covers 20.5 square miles of land, 1,290 residents per square mile in 2020.
One place lies inside Walpole: Walpole (CDP, 6,119 in 2020).
Walpole is in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 7 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Walpole, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 26,237 people lived in Walpole on July 1, 2025, down 0.5% since 2020, while Massachusetts grew 1.7%. The 2020 Census counted 26,383 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 26,388 (±34).
| Measure | Walpole | Norfolk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 26,388±34 | 730,082 | +1,259 |
| Households | 9,372±278 | 283,368 | +626 |
| Average household size | 2.78±0.08 | 2.51 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 9,801±305 | 295,227 | +752 |
Walpole's population since 2000
From 22,824 in 2000 to 26,237 in 2025: up 15.0%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Walpole as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Walpole?
The median resident of Walpole is 40.9 years old; 25.1% are under 18 and 16.9% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 85.1%, then non-Hispanic Asian residents at 4.4%. 10.6% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Walpole | Norfolk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.9±1.2 | 40.9 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 25.1%±1.4 pts | 20.5% | – |
| 65 years and over | 16.9%±1.3 pts | 17.8% | – |
| Male | 49.2%±1.6 pts | 48.5% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 3.6%±1.9 pts | 5.8% | −4.3 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 85.1%±3.0 pts | 68.7% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 3.5%±2.1 pts | 7.1% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 4.4%±1.1 pts | 12.4% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.2 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.1%±1.2 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.3%±0.4 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 10.6%±2.1 pts | 19.3% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 13.0%±2.8 pts | 23.3% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 4.1%±0.9 pts | 3.8% | – |
| With a disability | 7.5%±1.2 pts | 9.9% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 0.9%±0.5 pts | 1.9% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 98.1%±0.7 pts | 94.4% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 67.4%±2.4 pts | 58.8% | +14.3 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 25.8%±2.4 pts | 28.4% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 94.6%±1.5 pts | 89.2% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.6%±0.4 pts | 2.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Walpole earn?
Half of Walpole's 9,372 households earn less than $171,500 a year (±$15,740), against $130,739 in Norfolk County and $103,960 in Massachusetts. In 2015-2019 the median was $147,494 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $24,006 after inflation. 3.6% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Walpole | Norfolk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $171,500±$15,740 | $130,739 | +$24,006 |
| Mean household income | $210,029±$13,339 | $183,022 | – |
| Per capita income | $74,270±$4,640 | $71,758 | +$10,109 |
| People below the poverty line | 3.6%±1.4 pts | 6.7% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 2.3%±2.0 pts | 5.4% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 4.1%±1.4 pts | 9.4% | – |
| Households with a computer | 96.9%±1.6 pts | 96.8% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 95.0%±2.0 pts | 94.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Walpole?
Owners occupy 83.5% of Walpole's occupied homes and renters 16.5%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $687,100 by its owner (±$19,657). The median renter pays $2,205 a month including utilities, and 32.1% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Walpole | Norfolk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $687,100±$19,657 | $683,900 | +$90,460 |
| Median gross rent | $2,205±$222 | $2,149 | +$513 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 32.1%±9.3 pts | 41.1% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $3,372±$100 | $3,171 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 83.5%±2.6 pts | 68.7% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 16.5%±2.6 pts | 31.3% | – |
| Housing units | 9,801±305 | 295,227 | +752 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.3%±0.5 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 3.9%±5.7 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 72.2%±2.8 pts | 56.6% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.6%±0.8 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.9%±0.8 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 6.7%±1.8 pts | 7.8% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 13.4%±2.7 pts | 26.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 3.7%±1.9 pts | 9.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Walpole building?
Builders took permits for 20 new housing units in Walpole in 2025 (20 in single-family houses), 0.8 per 1,000 residents against 1.7 across Massachusetts.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Walpole work and get to work?
63.4% of Walpole's workers drive alone and 28.2% work from home. The average trip to work takes 33.5 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 5.3%.
| Measure | Walpole | Norfolk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 72.8%±2.0 pts | 69.2% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 5.3%±1.6 pts | 4.9% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 63.4%±4.2 pts | 57.4% | – |
| Carpooled | 3.3%±1.3 pts | 6.0% | – |
| Public transportation | 4.2%±1.4 pts | 8.7% | – |
| Walked | 0.2%±0.3 pts | 3.1% | – |
| Worked from home | 28.2%±4.5 pts | 22.8% | +22.5 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 33.5 min±1.9 | 32.5 min | −4.0 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Walpole?
5 census tracts lie mostly in Walpole (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $148,571 (Tract 4113.02) to $203,269 (Tract 4111.02).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 4112Norfolk County | 7,480 | $175,370 |
| Tract 4113.01Norfolk County | 5,996 | $165,197 |
| Tract 4111.01Norfolk County | 4,588 | $182,656 |
| Tract 4111.02Norfolk County | 4,501 | $203,269 |
| Tract 4113.02Norfolk County | 3,823 | $148,571 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Walpole) · Census block assignment files
How does Walpole compare with other places in Massachusetts?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Walpole is the 429th-most populous of the 16,079 U.S. towns and townships that have one and the 15th-most populous of 266 in Massachusetts.
Walpole ranks 59th of 453 places in Massachusetts with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 15th | 266 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 245th | 292 |
| Residents per square mile | 141st | 461 |
| Median household income | 59th | 453 |
| Per capita income | 94th | 460 |
| Median home value | 117th | 459 |
| Median gross rent | 53rd | 410 |
| Poverty rate | 288th | 338 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 69th | 459 |
| Median age | 369th | 461 |
| Owner-occupied share | 175th | 460 |
| Work from home | 69th | 429 |
| Travel time to work | 107th | 459 |
Walpole's figures with every place in Massachusetts (CSV)
Every place in Massachusetts, sortable · Compare Walpole with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Walpole?
9 of the 57 figures for Walpole on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Walpole are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.