Waltham, MA — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·Massachusetts·Waltham

Middlesex County · Boston-Cambridge-Newton · population 65,849

Waltham, MA
Image: Wikipedia · Waltham, Massachusetts
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
View watchlist →
63
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Waltham stands

At or near all-time high.

Median home $832,055
1-year +1.1%
5-yr CAGR +4.2%
vs 5-yr peak -0.2%
Population +0.2%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-03$832k$463k$598k$733k$867k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
64/100
Somewhat walkable
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
22/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
59/100
Workable for remote workers
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly
$3,106/mo$2,264$2,778$3,292202220242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent123129100120202220242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 22.3
Lean rent

At a 22.3 price-to-rent ratio, the math is starting to lean toward renting in Waltham. Owner-occupier ROI requires longer holds and the assumption that prices keep appreciating roughly at the rate of rent.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
55 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
60 · w22%
Distance from peak
89 · w18%
Population growth
50 · w16%
Rent YoY
60 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
63 · w10%
Long thesis

Waltham has held up across the cycle: home values at $832,055 with +4.2% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.

Short thesis

Waltham carries a $832,055 median home with only +1.1% YoY. Premium pricing in a flat tape is the bear setup — you're paying for the trend that already ran while new buyers can't afford to extend it.

About Waltham

Waltham is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, with an estimated population of 65,849. It anchors the Boston-Cambridge-Newton metro area. The median home value in Waltham is $832,055 as of 2026-04, up 1.1% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +4.2% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Waltham average $3,106 per month, roughly flat year-over-year (+2.3%). The composite momentum score is 63 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Held the highs: currently -0.2% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.
○The data is the data: Waltham has at least 5 years of Zillow tracking, full Census identification, and is included in the 2-criteria momentum score on this page.

▼ Bear case

●Expensive AND not growing: median home $832,055 with only +1.1% YoY. You’re paying premium pricing for a flat trend.
○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Waltham (Wikipedia)

Waltham is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, and was an early center for the labor movement as well as a major contributor to the American Industrial Revolution. The original home of the Boston Manufacturing Company, the city was a prototype for 19th century industrial city planning, spawning what became known as the Waltham-Lowell system of labor and production. The city is now a center for research and higher education as home to Brandeis University and Bentley University. The population was 65,218 at the 2020 United States census. Waltham is part of the Greater Boston area and lies 9 miles (14 km) west of Downtown Boston.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

City facts

MayorJeanette A. McCarthy
Area13.76 sq mi
Elevation50 ft
Settled1634
NicknameThe Watch City
Density5117.95/sq mi
Named forWaltham Abbey, Essex, England

Extracted from the Wikipedia infobox. Values may be slightly out of date relative to the latest sources.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Middlesex County right now.

NWS active alerts (MA)Massachusetts Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Middlesex County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Cities like Waltham

Malden, MA61 · StablePeabody, MA61 · StableMedford, MA63 · RisingQuincy, MA63 · Rising

Run the numbers for Waltham

ToolCan I afford Waltham?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Waltham rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Waltham to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolWaltham cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
35° / 21°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
81° / 64°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
200
~55% of year
Annual precip
48″ rain
43″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Moderate
Tornado
Low
Wildfire
Very low
Earthquake
Very low
Flood
Moderate

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Boston-Cambridge-Newton area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Waltham listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
70%
Humid climate
Median household income
$96,500
Massachusetts state median
Top industries (state-level)
TechBiotechEducation/Healthcare

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

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