Waltham receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Waltham
Lowell
Opportunity
65 · Top 31%
vs47 · Bottom 31%
Growth
51 · Top 48%
vs62 · Top 30%
Climate
62 · Bottom 20%
vs63 · Bottom 25%
Physical resilience
88 · Top 14%
vs88 · Top 14%
Housing affordability
60 · Bottom 20%
vs59 · Bottom 20%
Schools
67 · Top 31%
vs44 · Bottom 40%
Access
98 · Top 21%
vs92 · Top 50%
Economic stability
68 · Top 34%
vs58 · Bottom 45%
Measured values
| Metric | Waltham | Lowell | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 64,902 | 118,368 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $120,216 | $78,658 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $58,449 | $36,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,092/sq mi | 8,697/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $748,700 | $429,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,268 | $1,625 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 49.7% | 43.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 57.3% | 30.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.4% | 16.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 42 | 229 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.6 | 1.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 90.9% | 34.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 18°F | 19°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 42.6" | 40.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 12 mi | 21 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.2 min | 30.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.4 | 35.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 36 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 10.17 | 12.67 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 35.9% | 22.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 46.0% | 37.1% | 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
Waltham
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Lowell
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Waltham, MA · Lowell, MA · How this is calculated: methodology