What stands out worked out from the figures below

Belmont has the most kids (24.2% under 18).

Waltham has the most affordable homes ($749k median).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Belmont	Waltham
People
Population	27,175Lowest	64,902Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.4%Highest MA: +7.4%	+7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	42.9±1Highest 7% above MA	34.4±1Lowest 14% below MA
Kids under 18	24.2%±2Highest MA: 19.4%	13.6%±1.1Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	19.3%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9%	15.8%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	80.9%Highest MA: 47.3%	57.3%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9%	19.1%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$183,137±$14kHighest 76% above MA	$120,216±$7kLowest 16% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$1,159,000±$33kHighest 106% above MA	$748,700±$27kLowest 33% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,527±$105Highest 43% above MA	$2,268±$79Lowest 29% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA	$4,766Lowest 20% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.6%±6.2Highest MA: 51.8%	44.7%±4.1Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Belmont and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.6%Lowest MA: 10%	9.4%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	64.7%Highest MA: 62.5%	49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA	1961Highest 3 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest about the MA average	25 minLowest 15% below MA
Work from home	31.5%±3.2Highest MA: 18.6%	24.2%±2.1Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#3 of 282 in MA	#217 of 282 in MA
School district	Belmont	Waltham
High school in town	Belmont High	Waltham Sr High
Students per teacherat that high school	15.8Highest	10.4Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.