What stands out worked out from the figures below

Watertown has the most people working from home (29.1%).

Waltham has the youngest population (median age 34.4).

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	Waltham
People
Population	35,543Lowest	64,902Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+7.6% MA: +7.4%
Median age	39.4±1.3Highest about the MA average	34.4±1Lowest 14% below MA
Kids under 18	14.3%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4%	13.6%±1.1Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Watertown and Waltham 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%	15.8%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Watertown and Waltham 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%	57.3%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9%	19.1%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$126,265±$6kHighest 21% above MA	$120,216±$7kLowest 16% above MA
	Watertown and Waltham 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	$748,700±$27kLowest 33% above MA
	Watertown and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,502±$107Highest 42% above MA	$2,268±$79Lowest 29% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,799Highest 13% above MA	$4,766Lowest 20% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42.7%±5.7Lowest MA: 51.8%	44.7%±4.1Highest MA: 51.8%
	Waltham and Watertown 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%	9.4%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	47.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%	49.7%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1947Lowest 17 yrs older than MA	1961Highest 3 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 5% below MA	25 minLowest 15% below MA
Work from home	29.1%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6%	24.2%±2.1Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Watertown 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	#171 of 282 in MA	#217 of 282 in MA
School district	Watertown	Waltham
High school in town	Watertown High	Waltham Sr High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1Highest	10.4Lowest
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.