What stands out worked out from the figures below

Waltham has the most expensive homes ($330k median).

Painted Post has the most affordable homes ($156k 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	Painted Post
People
Population	452Lowest	1,824Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	-2.3% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	60.8±7.3Highest 56% above U.S.	45.7±5.2Lowest 17% above U.S.
Kids under 18	12.8%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 22%	16.3%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22%
	Painted Post 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%	21.3%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	39%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	36.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Waltham and Painted Post 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.	$62,891±$14kLowest 22% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$329,700±$51kHighest about the U.S. average	$155,900±$13kLowest 53% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,096±$113Highest 22% below U.S.	$839±$281Lowest 41% below U.S.
	Waltham and Painted Post are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,714Highest 83% above U.S.	$5,442Lowest 74% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	29.2%±58.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	63.4%±18.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Painted Post 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%	12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	63.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S.	1946Lowest 34 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 5% above U.S.	17 minLowest 37% below U.S.
Work from home	20.6%±5.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%	13.8%±8.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Waltham and Painted Post are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
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.