Compare towns
Waltham vs Douglas vs Panton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Waltham has the oldest population (median age 60.8).
Douglas has the highest household income ($152k).
Panton has the most people working from home (26.7%).
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 | Waltham | Douglas | Panton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 452Lowest |
9,207Highest |
690 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 60.8±7.3Highest 56% above U.S. |
44±2.6 13% above U.S. |
42.7±3.8Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
24.9%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Panton and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 45.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.7%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Douglas and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,500±$14k 21% above U.S. |
$152,267±$10kHighest 89% above U.S. |
$86,667±$10kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $329,700±$51kLowest about the U.S. average |
$470,600±$29kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$438,000±$40k 32% above U.S. |
| Douglas and Panton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,096±$113Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,503±$697Highest 6% above U.S. |
$1,410±$130 about the U.S. average |
| Douglas and Panton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,714Lowest 83% above U.S. |
$6,338 103% above U.S. |
$6,695Highest 115% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.2%±58.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
61%±39Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Panton and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.9%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Panton and Douglas 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 | — | #177 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Douglas | — |
| High school in town | — | Douglas High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.2 |
— |
| 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.