What stands out worked out from the figures below

Waltham has the most people working from home (20.6%).

Massena has the most affordable homes ($94k median).

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	Massena
People
Population	452Lowest	10,238Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	-7.2% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	60.8±7.3Highest 56% above U.S.	42.6±4.7Lowest 10% above U.S.
Kids under 18	12.8%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 22%	19.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22%
	Massena and Waltham 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%	20.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	39%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	25.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Waltham and Massena are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$97,500±$14kHighest 21% above U.S.	$51,458±$7kLowest 36% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$329,700±$51kHighest about the U.S. average	$94,400±$15kLowest 72% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,096±$113Highest 22% below U.S.	$722±$44Lowest 49% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,714Highest 83% above U.S.	$3,218Lowest 3% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	29.2%±58.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	57.8%±11.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Massena and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	24.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	55.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S.	1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 5% above U.S.	18 minLowest 32% below U.S.
Work from home	20.6%±5.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%	5.2%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.