Compare towns
Malden vs Needham vs Waltham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Malden has the most renters (58.7% rent).
Needham has the highest household income ($214k).
Waltham has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Malden | Needham | Waltham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 65,906Highest |
32,459Lowest |
64,902 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1% MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.8±1 11% below MA |
43.1±1.6Highest 8% above MA |
34.4±1Lowest 14% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.6%±1.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 13%±1.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.8%±1.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Needham and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
57.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.1%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
19.1%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,606±$6kLowest 3% below MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$120,216±$7k 16% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $633,500±$26kLowest 13% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$748,700±$27k 33% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,204±$62Lowest 25% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$2,268±$79 29% above MA |
| Needham and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,995 17% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,766Lowest 20% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±4.6 MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
44.7%±4.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Needham and Malden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.4%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
9.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 41.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
49.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1965Highest 1 yr newer than MA |
1961 3 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 18% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
25 minLowest 15% below MA |
| Work from home | 19.8%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.2%±2.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #184 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #217 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Malden | — | Waltham |
| High school in town | Malden High | — | Waltham Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 16.1Highest |
— | 10.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.