What stands out worked out from the figures below

Watertown has the most kids (14.3% under 18).

Medford has the most homeowners (54.1%).

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	Watertown	Medford
People
Population	35,543Lowest	59,354Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+6.2% MA: +7.4%
Median age	39.4±1.3Highest about the MA average	35.9±1Lowest 10% below MA
Kids under 18	14.3%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4%	12.7%±1.3Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Watertown and Medford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.3%±1.8Highest MA: 17.9%	15.2%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Watertown and Medford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	66.5%Highest MA: 47.3%	59.8%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9%	11.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$126,265±$6kLowest 21% above MA	$129,540±$8kHighest 25% above MA
	Medford and Watertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$784,600±$31kHighest 40% above MA	$755,500±$23kLowest 34% above MA
	Watertown and Medford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,502±$107Lowest 42% above MA	$2,509±$94Highest 42% above MA
	Medford and Watertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,799Highest 13% above MA	$6,286Lowest 5% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42.7%±5.7Highest MA: 51.8%	41.1%±4.9Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Watertown and Medford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.5%Lowest MA: 10%	7.6%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	47.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%	54.1%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1947Highest 17 yrs older than MA	1942Lowest 22 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest 5% below MA	30 minHighest 4% above MA
Work from home	29.1%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6%	26.8%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Watertown and Medford 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	#171 of 282 in MA	#203 of 282 in MA
School district	Watertown	Medford
High school in town	Watertown High	Medford High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1Highest	9.2Lowest
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.