What stands out worked out from the figures below

Malden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.5%).

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.

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

Measure	Malden	Waltham
People
Population	65,906Highest	64,902Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+11.5%Highest MA: +7.4%	+7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	35.8±1Highest 11% below MA	34.4±1Lowest 14% below MA
	Malden and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.2%±1.7Highest MA: 19.4%	13.6%±1.1Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	13%±1.2Lowest MA: 17.9%	15.8%±1.1Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	45.1%Lowest MA: 47.3%	57.3%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	9.1%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9%	19.1%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$100,606±$6kLowest 3% below MA	$120,216±$7kHighest 16% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$633,500±$26kLowest 13% above MA	$748,700±$27kHighest 33% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,204±$62Lowest 25% above MA	$2,268±$79Highest 29% above MA
	Waltham and Malden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,995Highest 17% below MA	$4,766Lowest 20% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.2%±4.6Highest MA: 51.8%	44.7%±4.1Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Malden and Waltham 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%	9.4%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	41.3%Lowest MA: 62.5%	49.7%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA	1961Highest 3 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minHighest 18% above MA	25 minLowest 15% below MA
Work from home	19.8%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6%	24.2%±2.1Highest MA: 18.6%
	Waltham and Malden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#184 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

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.