The Town FilesWaltham, Massachusetts
City in Middlesex County · population 65,218 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $748,700
- Household income
- $120,216
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 59 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 34.4
Waltham is a city of 65,218 people in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. The median home is worth $748,700, above the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). It ranks better for young professionals than 99% of Massachusetts towns, more vibrant than 98% of Massachusetts towns, better transit than 97% of Massachusetts towns.
How Waltham ranks
Percentile among Massachusetts towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Massachusetts towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Waltham is worth $748,700, above the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). Homes cost about 6.2 times the median household income of $120,216, which is more affordable than 18% of Massachusetts towns. Median rent is $2,268 a month. 49.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Waltham | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $748,700 | $510,150 |
| Median rent | $2,268 | $1,561 |
| Median household income | $120,216 | $108,622 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.2× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 49.7% | 80.7% |
| Median year built | 1961 | 1968 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.4% | — |
Who lives in Waltham
| People | Waltham | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.4 | 44.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.8% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 13.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 57.3% | 45.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.4% | 6.3% |
| Veterans | 2.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 26.3% | — |
| Work from home | 24.2% | 17.7% |
| Average commute | 24.7 min | 30.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.0% | 93.9% |
Weather in Waltham
July highs average 85.1°F and January lows 18.2°F. About 42.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 59.0 inches of snow (typical Massachusetts town: 49.5 in). Expect about 15 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 139 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Waltham since 1950, compared with 8 for the typical Massachusetts town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 11, 1958 about 8.2 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 6 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on August 22, 2016.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 38 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on August 4, 2015.
Severe weather in Middlesex County since 1996
Middlesex County has been included in 35 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, other, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 15, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3599: Hurricane Lee |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4496: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3438: Covid-19 |
| July 19, 2018 | Snowstorm | DR-4379: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| April 13, 2015 | Severe Storm | DR-4214: Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Middlesex County
Middlesex County had 926,104 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $113,704 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Waltham itself the ACS puts it at 3.7%.
Public schools in Waltham
10 public schools with 5,709 students, about 10.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waltham Sr High | 9-12 | 1,816 | 10.9 |
| John F Kennedy Middle | 6-8 | 628 | 10.5 |
| John W. McDevitt Middle School | 6-8 | 604 | 8.8 |
| Northeast Elementary School | PK-5 | 500 | 10.4 |
| Douglas MacArthur Elementary School | K-5 | 475 | 11.6 |
| Henry Whittemore Elementary School | K-5 | 386 | 9.7 |
| William F. Stanley Elementary School | PK-5 | 376 | 9.9 |
| James Fitzgerald Elementary School | K-5 | 354 | 11.1 |
| Thomas R Plympton Elementary School | K-5 | 352 | 10.4 |
| Waltham Public Schools Dual Language Program | K-5 | 218 | 11.5 |
Towns near Waltham
- Belmont, MA3.2 mi · 27,295 people · home $1,159,000
- Weston, MA3.7 mi · 11,851 people · home $1,694,400
- Lexington, MA3.9 mi · 34,454 people · home $1,203,100
- Newton, MA4.3 mi · 88,923 people · home $1,264,900
- Lincoln, MA4.3 mi · 7,014 people · home $1,208,200
- Arlington, MA4.5 mi · 46,308 people · home $933,800
- Wellesley, MA6.1 mi · 29,550 people · home $1,582,700
- Cambridge, MA6.4 mi · 118,403 people · home $1,092,100
Waltham questions
Is Waltham, Massachusetts a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Waltham scores better for retirees than 24% of Massachusetts towns and quieter than 5%. 15.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.4).
How much does a house cost in Waltham?
The median owner-occupied home in Waltham is valued at $748,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $120,216, so homes cost about 6.2 times income. Median rent is $2,268 a month.
What is the weather like in Waltham?
July highs average 85.1°F and January lows 18.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 42.6 inches of precipitation a year and 59.0 inches of snow.
Does Waltham get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Waltham since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 11, 1958. The typical Massachusetts town has had 8.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)