Quincy vs Waltham
Quincy, Massachusetts versus Waltham, Massachusetts: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Waltham edges out Quincy on overall objective livability (51 vs 44 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Quincy | Waltham |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $91k | $113k |
| Cost of Living | $82k | $82k |
| Home Value | $563k | $679k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $3k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.09% | 0.71% |
| Income Tax | 9.00% | 9.00% |
| Sales Tax | 6.25% | 6.25% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 17.86% | 15.30% |
| Unemployment | 6.7% | 3.1% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 29°F | 28°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 73°F | 73°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 53.9 in | 49.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 69.7 in | 59.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 181 days | 181 days |
| Summer Humidity | 62°F | 62°F |
| Comfortable Days | 94 days | 87 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 22.7 | 37.4 |
| Air Quality | 44 AQI | 45 AQI |
| School Quality | 96.0 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 1123/100k | 480/100k |
| Property Crime | 1090/100k | 553/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 100,981 | 64,711 |
| Median Age | 38.3 | 34.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.58 | 0.54 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.02 | 0.98 |
| Political Leaning | D+64 | D+64 |
| White (%) | 56.2% | 61.8% |
| Black (%) | 6.0% | 6.9% |
| Hispanic (%) | 5.4% | 15.3% |
| Asian (%) | 28.8% | 12.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.7% | 3.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 34 min | 25 min |
| Walkability | 15.0/20 | 13.7/20 |
| Airport Distance | 8 mi | 12 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 92.7% | 92.8% |
| Amenities Nearby | 43.57 | 95.97 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Limited |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Quincy or Waltham more affordable?
- Waltham has the lower cost of living: its index is $82k, compared with Quincy's $82k and Waltham's $82k. Median rent is $2k in Quincy versus $2k in Waltham.
- Is Quincy or Waltham safer?
- Waltham has the lower violent crime rate. Quincy reports 1123/100k and Waltham reports 480/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Quincy or Waltham?
- The median home value is $563k in Quincy and $679k in Waltham, so homes are more affordable in Quincy.