Population 64,902 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Waltham
Household size in Waltham
| Period | Waltham | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.24 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.30 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.31 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.25 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.01 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Waltham are small: just 2.25 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the northwest.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Waltham
| Period | Waltham | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.1 | 38.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 36.3 | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 36.2 | 40.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 37.4 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.3 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Waltham is 37.4 years old, a few years younger than the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has crept up from 37.1, a smaller shift than nationally. Of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people, only 21 are younger.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Waltham
| Period | Waltham | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.9% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.5% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.8% | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.4% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.5 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Waltham: 7.4% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is down 0.5 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Waltham
Renters in Waltham
| Period | Waltham | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 52.8% | 36.8% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 50.7% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 48.3% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 50.3% | 38.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | −2.5 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Waltham rent: 50.3% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. Among homeowners, 38.3% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. The renter share is down 2.5 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Waltham
| Period | Waltham | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.8% | 8.1% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.8% | 7.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.3% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.6% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.2 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in Waltham: just 5.6% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. The picture is much the same across the Boston area. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 2.2 points, in line with the national trend.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Waltham
| Period | Waltham | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1958 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1958 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1962 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1964 | 1964 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
Waltham is a place of older homes: half were built before 1964, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The median year built has moved up from 1958 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northeast, the oldest in the west.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Waltham
| Period | Waltham | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,381 | $1,171 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,470 | $1,251 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,790 | $1,537 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,231 | $2,051 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$850 | +$881 | +$775 | +$606 |
Rent in Waltham runs $2,231 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $850 a month since 2006–10, up 62%, roughly in step with the nation. Rent takes 29.3% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the center; the highest are in the north.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Waltham
Bachelor's degrees in Waltham
| Period | Waltham | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 45.8% | 42.2% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 50.4% | 44.1% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 55.8% | 48.2% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 58.5% | 51.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +12.7 pts | +9.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
Waltham is highly educated: about six in ten adults 25 and older (58.5%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 12.7 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the southwest and least in the northwest.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Waltham
| Period | Waltham | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.0% | 89.8% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 89.6% | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 92.2% | 91.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.6% | 91.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.6 pts | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Waltham have finished high school (92.6%), above the national rate of 89.3%. That is in line with the rest of the Boston area. The share with a diploma is up 3.6 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Waltham
| Period | Waltham | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.1% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.2% | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.1% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.9% | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Waltham than nationally: unemployment was 3.9%, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has edged down 1.2 points, in line with the national trend. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Waltham compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waltham | 2.25 | 37.4 | 7.4% | 50.3% | 5.6% | 1964 | $2,231 | 58.5% | 92.6% | 3.9% |
| Newtonville | 2.64 | 43.3 | 4.9% | 43.2% | 6.7% | 1943 | $2,603 | 80.4% | 98.3% | 3.5% |
| Newton | 2.55 | 40.8 | 7.8% | 38.3% | 6.7% | 1944 | $2,362 | 76.6% | 96.5% | 3.9% |
| Auburndale | 2.56 | 37.2 | 5.9% | 36.8% | 9.7% | 1953 | $2,265 | 77.6% | 95.3% | 2.8% |
| Watertown Town | 2.17 | 40.8 | 5.7% | 52.3% | 5.9% | 1952 | $2,543 | 66.5% | 94.5% | 4.8% |
| Belmont | 2.61 | 44.3 | 7.1% | 34.7% | 5.9% | 1946 | $2,468 | 80.9% | 97.6% | 4.5% |
| Weston | 2.87 | 45.7 | 3.5% | 12.5% | 6.6% | 1967 | $2,023 | 84.4% | 98.4% | 2.2% |
| Newton Lower Falls | 2.50 | 42.7 | 2.7% | 27.4% | 9.9% | 1952 | $2,646 | 78.9% | 94.9% | 1.5% |
| Waban | 2.84 | 48.3 | 6.2% | 12.0% | 4.0% | 1947 | $2,364 | 89.3% | 97.7% | 4.8% |
| Watertown | 2.47 | 43.4 | 12.3% | 49.8% | 3.6% | 1938 | $3,082 | 80.7% | 99.7% | 3.2% |
| Lexington | 2.76 | 47.5 | 7.1% | 19.4% | 3.3% | 1966 | $2,896 | 83.8% | 96.8% | 2.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Brentwood, CA · Clermont, FL · Gilroy, CA · San Luis Obispo, CA · Mayaguez, PR · North Little Rock, AR · North Miami, FL · North Richland Hills, TX · Northglenn, CO · Port Orchard, WA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Waltham. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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