What stands out worked out from the figures below

Waltham has the shortest commute (25 min average).

Quincy has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.1%).

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	Waltham	Quincy
People
Population	64,902Lowest	102,114Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+10.1%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	34.4±1Lowest 14% below MA	38.6±0.8Highest 4% below MA
Kids under 18	13.6%±1.1Lowest MA: 19.4%	14.5%±1Highest MA: 19.4%
	Quincy and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15.8%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9%	17.7%±1.1Highest MA: 17.9%
	Quincy and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	57.3%Highest MA: 47.3%	50.3%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	19.1%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9%	8.2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$120,216±$7kHighest 16% above MA	$98,882±$5kLowest 5% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$748,700±$27kHighest 33% above MA	$618,500±$14kLowest 10% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,268±$79Highest 29% above MA	$2,118±$59Lowest 20% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,766Lowest 20% below MA	$6,381Highest 6% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	44.7%±4.1Lowest MA: 51.8%	48.7%±3.5Highest MA: 51.8%
	Quincy and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	9.4%Lowest MA: 10%	10.6%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	49.7%Highest MA: 62.5%	45.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1961Highest 3 yrs older than MA	1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest 15% below MA	35 minHighest 19% above MA
Work from home	24.2%±2.1Highest MA: 18.6%	21.2%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Waltham and Quincy 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	#217 of 282 in MA	#147 of 282 in MA
School district	Waltham	Quincy
High school in town	Waltham Sr High	North Quincy High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.4Lowest	15.5Highest
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.