What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hadley has the most affordable homes ($194k median).

Waltham has the most expensive homes ($330k 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	Hadley	Waltham
People
Population	2,074Highest	452Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3.5% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	54.1±3Lowest 39% above U.S.	60.8±7.3Highest 56% above U.S.
	Waltham and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	14.4%±3Highest U.S.: 22%	12.8%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Hadley and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	26.1%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	45.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	25%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	39%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.1%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	3.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Waltham and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$73,750±$32kLowest 9% below U.S.	$97,500±$14kHighest 21% above U.S.
	Waltham and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$194,200±$30kLowest 42% below U.S.	$329,700±$51kHighest about the U.S. average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$900±$293Lowest 36% below U.S.	$1,096±$113Highest 22% below U.S.
	Waltham and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,375Lowest 24% below U.S.	$5,714Highest 83% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	44.3%±17Highest U.S.: 51.1%	29.2%±58.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Hadley and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	5.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S.	1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 19% above U.S.	28 minLowest 5% above U.S.
Work from home	24.2%±23.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%	20.6%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Hadley and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.