Thinking of moving to Walpole, MA? Here is an overview of schools, things to do, commuting and more. There is a lot to like about this town, which lies about 25 miles southwest of Boston. For more links and information, see my Pinterest Board, “Walpole, MA.”
Population (2010): 24,070
Named after Sir Robert Walpole, the first prime minister of Great Britain
County: Norfolk
Settled: 1659
21 square miles
Zip codes: 02032, 02071, and 02081
Education (statistics per Mass Dept. of Education and Walpole High School)
Public Schools:
4 elementary schools (Boyden, Old Post Road, Fisher & Elm)
2 Middle Schools (Bird and Eleanor Johnson)
1 High School (Walpole High)
1 Vocational School (Norfolk County Agricultural High School)
Walpole also offers a preschool, the Daniel Feeney Preschool
Center, which services children with special needs, integrated with
typically developing children (in 2015 45.8% of the students had
special needs and 4.2% were English language learners).
Student Population by School: Boyden ~ 398; Elm ~ 435; Fisher ~ 443;
Old Post Rd ~ 458; Bird ~ 498; Johnson ~ 430; Walpole High ~ 1172
Student: Teacher Ratio: Boyden ~ 14:1; Elm ~ 14.5:1; Fisher ~ 12.2:1;
Old Post Rd ~ 14.1:1; Bird ~ 13.3:1; Johnson ~ 13.9:1; Walpole High ~ 14.6:1
MCAS Results 2015 (percent of students scoring proficient or above)
Boyden: ELA 72%; Math 71%; Science 70%
Elm: ELA 79%; Math 71%; Science 68%
Fisher: ELA 83%; Math 84%; Science 82%
Old Post Rd: ELA 81%; Math 83%; Science 89%
Bird: ELA 85%; Math 61%; Science 58%
Johnson: ELA 86%; Math 74%; Science 62%
Walpole High: ELA 99%; Math 84%; Science 91%
Class of 2016 combined SAT: 1587 (Reading 527, Math 537, Writing 523)
88.7% of students in the class of 2016 went onto post high school education
Private Schools:
Next Generation Children’s Center. Daycare and preschool options.
Blessed Sacrament School. Preschool through grade 8 Catholic education.
League School of Greater Boston. Provides education for students with autism
Many additional private schools in the area
Things to Do:
Playgrounds: Memorial and Francis William Bird Park
2 Pools: Center Pool & Splash Pad & South Pool (outdoor, summer only)
Walking/Hiking: William Francis Bird Park (Trustees of Reservations property…includes a playground and basketball courts); Adams Farm (hiking trails and community garden); Walpole Town Forest (hiking trail with vernal pool), Bay Circuit Trail (200 mile long trail that passes through Walpole).
Ice Skating: Norfolk Ice Arena in nearby Norfolk (lessons and public skate)
Farmer’s Market: Open Friday afternoons in the summer
Walpole Footlighters: Community theatre
Classes and Events
Walpole Parks and Recreation ~ offers classes for youth, teens and adults
Walpole Public Library (part of the Old Colony Library Network) ~ story times and book clubs
Community Sponsored Events (Kids Night In at Blackburn Hall, Christmas Tree Lighting)
Public Transportation and Commuting
Commuter Rail Station into South Station ~ Walpole (275 West St) ~ Franklin Line; 343 parking spaces
There is also a very small station at Plimptonville (185 Plimptonville St)…no parking, only one inbound and one outbound stop a day.
Access to Rte. 95 via Coney St ramp
Other
Junior Women’s Club of Walpole ~ a volunteer organization that meets monthly. See thejwcw.org
Walpole Historical Society ~ a repository for documents pertaining to the history of the town of Walpole.
Want to know more about finding a home in Walpole? Contact me via email at Lvandore@LandmarkNE.com or via Facebook. Interested in real estate and the local real estate market? Click HERE to sign up for my monthly real estate newsletter, a round-up of relevant real estate news and current local market analysis. Unsubscribe at any time, and rest assured that I will never share your email information.
Lisa Van Dore, Realtor 