The Town FilesWalpole, Massachusetts
Town in Norfolk County · population 26,383 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $687,100
- Household income
- $171,500
- Jan low / Jul high
- 20° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 56 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 16
- Median age
- 40.9
Walpole is a town of 26,383 people in Norfolk County, Massachusetts. The median home is worth $687,100, above the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). It ranks better for young professionals than 84% of Massachusetts towns, more upscale than 84% of Massachusetts towns, better transit than 74% of Massachusetts towns.
How Walpole ranks
Percentile among Massachusetts towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Massachusetts towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Walpole is worth $687,100, above the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). Homes cost about 4.0 times the median household income of $171,500, which is more affordable than 74% of Massachusetts towns. Median rent is $2,205 a month. 83.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Walpole | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $687,100 | $510,150 |
| Median rent | $2,205 | $1,561 |
| Median household income | $171,500 | $108,622 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.0× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 83.5% | 80.7% |
| Median year built | 1977 | 1968 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.4% | — |
Who lives in Walpole
| People | Walpole | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.9 | 44.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.9% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 25.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 67.4% | 45.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.6% | 6.3% |
| Veterans | 4.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 10.6% | — |
| Work from home | 28.2% | 17.7% |
| Average commute | 33.5 min | 30.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.0% | 93.9% |
Weather in Walpole
July highs average 83.4°F and January lows 19.7°F. About 49.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 56.1 inches of snow (typical Massachusetts town: 49.5 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 127 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Walpole since 1950, compared with 8 for the typical Massachusetts town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 9, 1953 about 6.8 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 22 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on August 18, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 19 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on June 28, 2020.
Severe weather in Norfolk County since 1996
Norfolk County has been included in 38 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, other, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 15, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3599: Hurricane Lee |
| April 18, 2022 | Snowstorm | DR-4651: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4496: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3438: Covid-19 |
| July 19, 2018 | Snowstorm | DR-4379: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Norfolk County
Norfolk County had 346,327 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $84,497 a year. Unemployment was 3.1% in 2023; in Walpole itself the ACS puts it at 5.3%.
Public schools in Walpole
7 public schools with 3,350 students, about 11.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walpole High | 9-12 | 946 | 11.1 |
| Norfolk County Agricultural | 9-12 | 586 | 10.1 |
| Fisher | K-5 | 473 | 13.1 |
| Elm Street School | K-5 | 446 | 13.1 |
| Eleanor N Johnson Middle | 6-8 | 415 | 11.5 |
| Boyden | K-5 | 405 | 11.6 |
| Daniel Feeney Preschool Center | PK-PK | 79 | 11.3 |
Towns near Walpole
- Walpole, MA1.2 mi · 6,119 people · home $626,600
- Medfield, MA3.6 mi · 6,939 people · home $815,300
- Medfield, MA3.7 mi · 12,799 people · home $911,100
- Sharon, MA4.1 mi · 6,184 people · home $677,900
- Norwood, MA4.2 mi · 31,611 people · home $651,700
- Norfolk, MA4.3 mi · 11,662 people · home $725,200
- Sharon, MA4.5 mi · 18,575 people · home $737,100
- Millis-Clicquot, MA5.0 mi · 4,499 people · home $545,600
Walpole questions
Is Walpole, Massachusetts a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Walpole scores better for retirees than 29% of Massachusetts towns and quieter than 19%. 16.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.9).
How much does a house cost in Walpole?
The median owner-occupied home in Walpole is valued at $687,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $171,500, so homes cost about 4.0 times income. Median rent is $2,205 a month.
What is the weather like in Walpole?
July highs average 83.4°F and January lows 19.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 49.6 inches of precipitation a year and 56.1 inches of snow.
Does Walpole get tornadoes?
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Walpole since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 9, 1953. The typical Massachusetts town has had 8.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)