Waltham, Massachusetts
Among the top 4% of US places for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 15% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 13% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade A, better than 95% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A+, better than 96% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 46% of US places
- top 3% for walkability
- top 5% for airport distance
- bottom 2% for cost of living
Waltham is a mid-size city in Massachusetts with about 65,000 residents. It grades A+ for getting around and D for weather. Standout strengths include walkability, airport distance, and school quality. It rates lower on monthly rent and cost of living.
Official websitecity.waltham.ma.us (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Heavy snow
very cold
cold
cool
comf.
warm
comf.
cool
cold
v.cold
57%45%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.3 in3.9 in
humid 97%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$113k90th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$82kbetter than 2% of US places
Home Value$679k95th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$2kbetter than 5% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$3kbetter than 7% of US places
Property Tax Rate0.71%better than 71% of US places
Income Tax9.00%better than 17% of US places
Sales Tax6.25%better than 81% of US places
Estimated total tax burden15.30%better than 16% of US places
Unemployment3.1%better than 58% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)28°F35th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)73°F34th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation49.3 in76th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall59.0 inbetter than 10% of US places
Sunny Days181 daysbetter than 9% of US places
Summer Humidity62°Fbetter than 64% of US places
Comfortable Days87 daysbetter than 63% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk37.4better than 84% of US places
Air Quality45 AQIbetter than 57% of US places
School Quality100.0better than 93% of US places
Violent Crime480/100kbetter than 66% of US places
Property Crime553/100kbetter than 68% of US places
Community
Population64,71198th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age34.721st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.5488th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9850th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+641st percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)61.8%24th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)6.9%80th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)15.3%81st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)12.9%97th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.1%52nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time25 minbetter than 58% of US places
Walkability13.7/20better than 97% of US places
Airport Distance12 mibetter than 95% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access92.8%better than 75% of US places
Amenities Nearby95.97better than 54% of US places
Park & Nature AccessLimitedbetter than 19% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Waltham an affordable place to live?
- Waltham is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $82k, better than 2% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Waltham?
- The median home value in Waltham is $679k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Waltham?
- Median household income in Waltham is $113k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Waltham?
- Median gross rent in Waltham is $2k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Waltham safe?
- Waltham is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 480/100k (better than 66%). Property crime is 553/100k.
- What is the weather like in Waltham?
- Waltham averages 73°F in July and 28°F in January, with 49.3 in of annual precipitation and about 181 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Waltham?
- Public-school quality in Waltham is above average, scoring better than 93% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Waltham?
- The average one-way commute in Waltham is 25 min.
Other places in Suffolk County
Places near Waltham
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Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)