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Living in
Waltham.
About
Life in Waltham
Waltham works well if you want suburban access to Boston without living in the city itself—your commute to downtown sits around 25 minutes, and you get more space and slightly lower costs than closer-in neighborhoods. The job market is genuinely strong here; major employers in life sciences, aerospace, and tech mean you're not entirely dependent on commuting elsewhere. That said, cost of living is still substantial—median home prices hover near $749,000 and rent runs about $2,268 monthly, so you're paying Boston-area prices even out here.
Waltham at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
34.4 yrs
Poverty Rate
9.4%
Foreign-Born
26.3%
Broadband Internet
94.0%
of households
Population Growth
-0.3%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics26.3% foreign-born, most often from Guatemala
Who lives in Waltham: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Waltham, the largest foreign-born group is from Guatemala (14.9%), and 11.4% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
13.6%
of residents
65 and Older
15.8%
of residents
Households with Kids
20.3%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
31.7%
of households
Married Couples
40.6%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.23
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 29% above MA average
Rent, home values, and income in Waltham
In Waltham, rent runs 29% above the MA average, and home values are 33% above the MA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
42.6%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
21.9%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
108.3
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$4,766
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
49.7%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1961
median year built
Vacant Homes
4.6%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $807,438 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.5 pts below MA average
Unemployment in Waltham
Unemployment in Waltham is 0.5 percentage points lower than the MA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Waltham Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute24.7 min avg
How Waltham residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Waltham, most residents drive alone to work (53%), and 62% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 12 mi
Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)
Major hub21.0M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 32% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Waltham runs 32% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
223.9
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
753.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Waltham Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 16 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
96.9 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Middlesex County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Middlesex County, which includes Waltham, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 16 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 16 | Thunderstorm Wind | $73,400 |
| 2024 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | $23,700 |
| 2023 | 29 | Flood | $99,100 |
| 2022 | 26 | Thunderstorm Wind | $111,000 |
| 2021 | 28 | Strong Wind | $583,500 |
| 2020 | 52 | Strong Wind | $552,300 |
| 2019 | 27 | Strong Wind | $263,750 |
| 2018 | 40 | Flood | $526,500 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Middlesex County, county-wide
Waltham is about 4% of Middlesex County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality38 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Middlesex County, which includes Waltham, is typically good — 299 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
38
Good Days
299
per year
Moderate Days
65
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Middlesex County, county-wide
Waltham is about 4% of Middlesex County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate83°F summers, 21°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Waltham has warm summers (avg high 83°F) and cold winters (avg low 21°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
59°/37°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
83°/60°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
64°/42°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
39°/21°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
49.3"
Annual Snowfall
59.0"
Hot Days/Year
15
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
139
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
141
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 37°F | 18°F | 2.90" |
| Feb | 39°F | 19°F | 2.69" |
| Mar | 48°F | 27°F | 3.85" |
| Apr | 60°F | 37°F | 3.84" |
| May | 70°F | 47°F | 3.36" |
| Jun | 79°F | 56°F | 3.72" |
| Jul | 85°F | 62°F | 3.51" |
| Aug | 84°F | 60°F | 3.47" |
| Sep | 76°F | 52°F | 3.54" |
| Oct | 64°F | 41°F | 4.24" |
| Nov | 52°F | 32°F | 3.72" |
| Dec | 42°F | 24°F | 3.76" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Waltham
Uninsured
2.9%
of residents
No hospitals inside Waltham's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Mclean Hospital Corporation
Psychiatric · 2.4 mi away · Belmont
Newton-wellesley Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4 mi away · Newton
Boston Medical Center-brighton
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.5 mi away · Brighton
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education10.4:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Waltham
Waltham's student/teacher ratio is 10.4:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 57.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
10
within city limits
Private Schools
4
within city limits
College Degree Rate
57.3%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
10.4:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Waltham
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 4,474 students · in-state tuition $63,390 · 89% graduate · median earnings $126,427 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 3,618 students · in-state tuition $70,957 · 87% graduate · median earnings $85,519 (10 yrs after entry)
Nearby Colleges (within 15 miles)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 18,248 students · in-state tuition $71,372 · 89% graduate · median earnings $89,087 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 17,326 students · in-state tuition $69,289 · 91% graduate · median earnings $99,371 (10 yrs after entry)
University of Massachusetts-Boston
11.7 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 11,512 students · in-state tuition $16,558 · 62% graduate · median earnings $70,597 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 10,085 students · in-state tuition $73,508 · 91% graduate · median earnings $112,178 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 8,612 students · in-state tuition $6,288 · 22% graduate · median earnings $51,734 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 7,601 students · in-state tuition $64,796 · 98% graduate · median earnings $121,957 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Longfellow House Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site, 6 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Waltham
Waltham has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Longfellow House Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site (6 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Longfellow House Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site
National Historic Site
6 mi awayMinute Man National Historical Park
National Historical Park
6 mi awayFrederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site
National Historic Site
7 mi awayJohn Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site
National Historic Site
7 mi awayBoston African American National Historic Site
National Historic Site
9 mi awayBoston National Historical Park
National Historical Park
10 mi awaySaugus Iron Works National Historic Site
National Historic Site
13 mi awayAdams National Historical Park
National Historical Park
15 mi awayPublic Libraries in Waltham
Waltham Public Library
735 Main St., Waltham
Cities Near Waltham
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Waltham?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Waltham FAQ
Is Waltham, Massachusetts affordable?⌄
Waltham's median rent is $2,268/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $120,216/year. Median home value is $748,700.
Is Waltham, Massachusetts safe?⌄
Waltham's violent crime rate was 224 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 754 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Waltham, Massachusetts?⌄
Waltham has an unemployment rate of 4.0%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Waltham, Massachusetts?⌄
The cost of living in Waltham is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,268/month and median household income is $120,216/year. The median home value is $748,700. About 43% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Waltham, Massachusetts?⌄
The average commute in Waltham is 25 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from