02472 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
02453
02472
Opportunity
66 · Top 27%
vs73 · Top 16%
Growth
50 · Bottom 48%
vs60 · Top 33%
Climate
62 · Bottom 21%
vs65 · Bottom 37%
Physical resilience
88 · Top 13%
vs88 · Top 13%
Housing affordability
62 · Bottom 25%
vs58 · Bottom 20%
Schools
62 · Top 36%
vs68 · Top 29%
Access
98 · Top 23%
vs99 · Top 15%
Economic stability
73 · Top 25%
vs78 · Top 15%
Measured values
| Metric | 02453 | 02472 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 31,591 | 35,620 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $115,366 | $126,336 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $56,697 | $73,788 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 8,795/sq mi | 8,839/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $705,100 | $784,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,115 | $2,498 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 43.4% | 47.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 59.5% | 66.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.1% | 7.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 42 | 337 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.6 | 2.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 90.9% | 361.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 18°F | 23°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 42.6" | 43.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 12 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.8 min | 29.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.7 | 39.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 9.30 | 10.42 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 27.5% | 32.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 42.0% | 47.7% | 2019-20 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
02453
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
02472
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 02453 — Waltham, MA · 02472 — Cambridge, MA · How this is calculated: methodology