Compare towns
Waltham vs Douglas vs Rupert
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 most affordable homes ($330k median).
Douglas has the highest household income ($152k).
Rupert has the most homeowners (93.7%).
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 | Rupert |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 452Lowest |
9,207Highest |
676 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 60.8±7.3Highest 56% above U.S. |
44±2.6Lowest 13% above U.S. |
57.8±9.7 49% above U.S. |
| Waltham and Rupert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.9%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Douglas and Rupert 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% |
42.3%±8.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Waltham and Rupert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.6%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% |
2.1%±2.5Lowest 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. |
$88,229±$36kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $329,700±$51kLowest about the U.S. average |
$470,600±$29kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$362,500±$63k 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,096±$113Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,503±$697Highest 6% above U.S. |
— |
| Douglas and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,714 83% above U.S. |
$6,338Highest 103% above U.S. |
$4,594Lowest 47% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.2%±58.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±17.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
20%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Douglas and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±9.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Douglas and Waltham 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.