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Waltham, MA

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Waltham, MA

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Demographics

Majority WhiteSimpson's Diversity Index: 62
Population64,723
Foreign Born14.5%
Population Density5,078people per mi²
Median Age35.1 yrs
Demographics Trajectory
ChangingSince 2010, this city has seen significant changes in racial and ethnic composition in a short time.
Current Race / Ethnicity Breakdown
Population Trends

Quality of Life

Overall Quality Of Life
A-
Great

A high quality of life with strong walkability, manageable living costs, healthy neighborhood signals, and solid amenity access.

Quality of Life blends cost of living, nearby amenities, socioeconomic signals, and neighborhood character. City-level scores represent the whole municipality; individual neighborhoods can differ.

Cost of Living

215/100

115% above national average

D

The Real Cost of Living in Waltham, Massachusetts

TierIndividualFamily (4)
Survival $36k$67k
Comfortable $125k$184k
Luxury $184k+$285k+
Elite (Top 5%) $216k+$335k+
Affordability Ratio

63%

The Hood Index™

A metric tracking the socioeconomic signals of the area.

A+
Hood Index scan area
Luxury Lean90%
RisksNeutralGrowth
Premium
40
Positive
28
Poor
3
Negative
7

Groceries

4 within 10 miles

1.4mi

Gas

0 within 10 miles

Hospital

3 within 20 miles

3.1mi

Airport

BOS — Boston Logan International

11.6mi

Post Office

USPS — Boston, MA

9.5mi

Critical Amenities

Golf6Nearest 3.5 mi
Camping20Nearest 6.3 mi
Marina11Nearest 5.2 mi
Winery0 
Ice Rink2Nearest 3.6 mi
Gun Range4Nearest 1.9 mi

Affluence Level

Overall Affluence Grade
B
Good

An upper-middle-class area. Household wealth, education levels, and homeownership run ahead of national benchmarks.

Median HHI
$117k+2.7%
55% above US avg
Est. Avg Net Worth
$1.5M
124% above US avg
College Educated
56.4%
61% above US avg
WFH
20.0%
40% above US avg
Homeownership
48.8%
25% below US avg
Median Home
$706k
150% above US avg

Crime

Overall Crime Grade
A-
Very Safe

Lower crime rates than 80% of comparable U.S. locations.

Crime Rate
9.6
Incidents per 1,000 residents
5yr Trend
+71.2%
Overall crime change since 2020

Violent Crime

5yr+86.0%
Homicide
0.00 / 1k Residents100% below state avg
Robbery
0.17 / 1k Residents42% below state avg
Aggravated Assault
1.86 / 1k ResidentsEqual to state avg

Property Crime

5yr+56.5%
Burglary
0.98 / 1k Residents12% above state avg
Larceny-Theft
5.98 / 1k Residents9% below state avg
Motor Vehicle Theft
0.44 / 1k Residents36% below state avg
Source: FBI Crime Data · 2025

Political Climate

Cook PVI: D+24Solidly Liberal

District shown is the primary district for this city’s centroid. Cities may span multiple districts.

Presidential Voting Trends for Waltham, Massachusetts
Dem Rep
20%30%40%50%60%70%80%2000200420082012201620202024

Personal Sovereignty

Personal Sovereignty measures your capacity for self-reliance and independence with minimal government friction. Higher scores mean fewer barriers between you and the way you want to live... but it assumes you have the space you need and good neighbors.

Overall Sovereignty Grade
B-
Self-Reliant

Viable for self-reliance. Generally workable, though some barriers may limit total independence.

State Policy

Tax Burden
D
Poor11.5% of income
Property Rights
D+
WeakIJ Grade D+
Firearm Rights
F
PoorFPC Grade F
Homeschooling
C+
WeakModerate regulation

Energy independence: Importer (5% of energy produced in-state)

Personal Liberty

Raw Milk
A-
OpenFarm sales legal
Gambling Laws
A
Broadly OpenCasinos · Poker · Sportsbetting
Marijuana Laws
A+
Fully LegalRecreational

Homesteading

Growing Season200 days253 frost-free
Annual Rainfall49.8"
Elevation72 ft

Strategic Assessment

Strategic Assessment grades tactical survivability using Joel Skousen's Strategic Relocation framework. Major population centers, blast zones, natural disasters, and border exposure all drive risk — lower exposure means a more defensible position in a crisis.

Learn more about Strategic Relocation ($)
Overall Strategic Grade
F
High Risk

High tactical risk. This location is likely close to major population centers, strategic targets, or sits in a high-disaster corridor. A retreat property and careful exit planning is required.

Strategic Pillars

City Proximity
F
Poor9.1 mi to nearest major city
Pop. Density
D-
Poor5,078/sq mi
Fallout Danger
C-
Weak11 within ~30 mi
Natural Disaster
F
PoorInland Flooding
Border / Coast
D
Poorborder 186 mi · coast 9.0 mi
FEMA Expected Loss$321.9M/yrfor the county

Key Distances

Nearest Major CityBoston676k people are 9.1 mi away
Nearest Major AirportBOS12 mi away
Distance to State Capital9.1 miBoston, MA
Nearest Prison8.6 mi10 within 25 mi

* Values derived from national, state, county, city and local statistics and may differ in a specific area. Last updated: 2026-04-19T08:50:44.000Z

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