02451 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
02464
02451
Opportunity
70 · Top 20%
vs67 · Top 26%
Growth
50 · Bottom 49%
vs50 · Bottom 48%
Climate
63 · Bottom 31%
vs62 · Bottom 21%
Physical resilience
88 · Top 13%
vs88 · Top 13%
Housing affordability
38 · Bottom 5%
vs52 · Bottom 14%
Access
98 · Top 21%
vs97 · Top 25%
Economic stability
71 · Top 28%
vs76 · Top 19%
Measured values
| Metric | 02464 | 02451 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 3,833 | 17,393 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $105,729 | $122,335 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $70,396 | $67,455 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 6,956/sq mi | 3,269/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $940,200 | $753,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,271 | $2,677 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 60.6% | 59.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 3.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 74.6% | 56.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.3% | 8.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 159 | 42 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.8 | 0.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 42.0% | 90.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 21°F | 18°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.9" | 42.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 11 mi | 13 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.1 min | 28.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.0 | 40.3 | 2024 ACS 5-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
02464
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
02451
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 02464 — Newton, MA · 02451 — Waltham, MA · How this is calculated: methodology