Downtown Walpole is the Town's hub for economic, social, government and cultural activity. It is a compact, quaint New England downtown that has many assets including several Main Street style blocks, public transit options (MBTA commuter rail and bus), and a beautiful Town Common. However, like many town centers across Massachusetts, Walpole's downtown vitality and pedestrian activity has diminished over the years as transportation routes, residential patterns, and shopping patterns changed. However, given changing housing preferences, including the desire of many households to reside in downtown environment, there is potential for the Town to improve the area.

To realize Downtown's potential, the Town of Walpole contracted with the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), the regional planning agency for Metro Boston, to develop a Vision and Action Plan for the downtown area. This plan will create a community vision through a public process, and develop a strategic action plan to achieve it.