Compare towns
Jackson vs Meredith vs Waltham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Jackson has the oldest housing (typical home built 1971).
Meredith has the most kids (17% under 18).
Waltham has the most people working from home (20.6%).
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.
| Measure | Jackson | Meredith | Waltham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,695Highest |
1,467 |
452Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 56.9±3.6 46% above U.S. |
54.3±4.6Lowest 40% above U.S. |
60.8±7.3Highest 56% above U.S. |
| Waltham and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
17%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Meredith and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.4%±5.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.8%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
45.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
39%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Waltham and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,375±$8kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$85,938±$16k 6% above U.S. |
$97,500±$14kHighest 21% above U.S. |
| Waltham and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,400±$40k 29% below U.S. |
$230,600±$24kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$329,700±$51kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,139±$43Highest 19% below U.S. |
$794±$175Lowest 44% below U.S. |
$1,096±$113 22% below U.S. |
| Jackson and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,165 34% above U.S. |
$3,630Lowest 16% above U.S. |
$5,714Highest 83% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 77.8%±44.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.1%±53.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
29.2%±58.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Jackson and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
33 min 23% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.1%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.6%±5.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.