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City · 64,902 residents · Middlesex County, Massachusetts

Waltham , Massachusetts

In Waltham, a typical home is worth $748,700 and typical rent is $2,268 a month. Compared with all of Middlesex County, typical household income is 8% lower and the share of households that own their home is 12 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $748,700

    3% above the county

    33% above Massachusetts

    • Waltham
    • Middlesex
    • Massachusetts

  • Typical rent

    $2,268a month

    3% above the county

    29% above Massachusetts

    • Waltham
    • Middlesex
    • Massachusetts

  • Typical household income

    $120,216a year

    8% below the county

    16% above Massachusetts

    • Waltham
    • Middlesex
    • Massachusetts

  • Households that own their home

    50%

    12 points below the county

    13 points below Massachusetts

    • Waltham
    • Middlesex
    • Massachusetts

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$807,438
0.8% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$2,930 a month
2% more than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Waltham is in Middlesex County. The FHA loan limit ($962,550 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Middlesex County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Waltham apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. 50% of households in Waltham own their home, against 61% in Middlesex County.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Waltham

What homes there are in Waltham, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

In Waltham there is a bit of everything: no kind of home reaches half. The most common are detached houses (37%); in Middlesex County, 47%.

Year built

In Waltham, half of the homes were built before 1961; in Middlesex County, before 1962.

In Waltham, 23% of homes have 1 bedroom or none (studios); 46% have 3 bedrooms or more, against 55% in Middlesex County.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes
Monthly rent with utilities

At least 75% of rented homes in Waltham cost less than $3,000, below HUD's 2-bedroom fair market rent ($3,008).

With a mortgage

$3,076 a month

Middlesex County: $3,224 a month

Without a mortgage

$908 a month

Middlesex County: $1,211 a month

Owners with a mortgage

62%

Middlesex County: 66%

Owning costs about the same in Waltham as in Middlesex County: with a mortgage, $3,076 a month; without one, $908.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

The typical home value in Waltham rose 40% since 2015–2019, less than in Middlesex County (45%).

The typical rent in Waltham rose 31% over the same time; in Middlesex County, it rose 35%.

The typical household income in Waltham rose 25%: less than home values (+40%) and rent (+31%).

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureWalthamMiddlesex CountyMassachusettsUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimate3.4%3.5%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate0.6%0.6%0.9%
More than one person per room 2.8%2.2%2.3%3.4%
People per household 2.232.492.442.53
Drive alone 53%54%61%69%
Carpool 10%6%7%9%
Public transit 5%7%7%3%
Walk or bike 7%6%5%3%
Work from home 24%25%19%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate2%2%2%
Typical commute 20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

More than one person per room: that is how 2.8% of households in Waltham live, near the figure in Middlesex County (2.2%).

Fewer people live in each home here: 2.23 on average, against 2.49 in Middlesex County.

In Waltham, 10% of workers share a car to get to work; in Middlesex County, 6%.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Waltham?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Waltham, worth $748,700, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 60% of the typical household income in Waltham, which is $120,216 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $258,107 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Middlesex County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Waltham. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $26,205 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$6,023

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$735,139
Total interest
$1,057,692
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $12,644 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $2,805 a month

  • Tight

    $2,805 to $3,606 a month

  • Hard

    more than $3,606 a month

    Your payment · 60%

Compared with the typical household income in Waltham ($120,216 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$6,023
Principal & interest$4,980
Property tax$399
Home insurance$312
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$331

You need at least $26,205 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Waltham and Middlesex County

Waltham is in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Waltham's own numbers

Typical home value
$748,700
Typical monthly rent
$2,268
Typical yearly household income
$120,216
Households that own their home
50%
Effective property tax rate
0.64%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Middlesex County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$962,550
Conventional limit, one unit
$962,550
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$2,383–$3,008
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+46%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
1%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Middlesex County.

Everything about Middlesex County

Buying

Buying a home in Waltham

A typical home in Waltham is worth $748,700: 3% above the county and 33% above Massachusetts. With the typical household income in Waltham ($120,216 a year), a typical home costs 6.2 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Waltham 6.2 years
  • Middlesex 5.6 years
  • Massachusetts 5.4 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Middlesex County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Middlesex County rose 83% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Middlesex County.

Period County Massachusetts U.S.
Last year (2025) +3.6% +3.7% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +46% +49% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +83% +87% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Waltham next to Middlesex County, Massachusetts and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Waltham $748,700
  • Middlesex $727,800
  • Massachusetts $562,100
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Waltham $2,268
  • Middlesex $2,201
  • Massachusetts $1,762
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Waltham $120,216
  • Middlesex $130,847
  • Massachusetts $103,960
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Waltham next to Middlesex County and Massachusetts
Measure Waltham Middlesex County Massachusetts U.S.
Typical home value $748,700 $727,800 $562,100 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $2,268 $2,201 $1,762 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $120,216 $130,847 $103,960 $80,734
Households that own their home 50% 61% 63% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $4,766 $7,501 $5,992 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.64% 1.03% 1.07% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 45% 47% 52% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Middlesex County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Waltham

For a typical $748,700 home in Waltham, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Waltham's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $6,022a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $26,205
    Cash to close
    $48,666
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $331

  • Conventional, 5% down $5,885a month

    Down payment
    $37,435
    Cash to close
    $59,896
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $356

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $4,769a month

    Down payment
    $149,740
    Cash to close
    $172,201
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $5,461a month

    Down payment
    $112,305
    Cash to close
    $134,766
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Waltham and for Middlesex County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Waltham

0.64%of the home’s value each year

$4,766 a year for the typical owner in Waltham.

  • Waltham 0.64%
  • Middlesex 1.03%
  • Massachusetts 1.07%

What Massachusetts publishes Local senior exemption (clause 41C) (Massachusetts General Court (General Laws))

Exemptions and deadlines in Massachusetts

Flood risk in Middlesex County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Middlesex County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
1%
4,035
Of those, with NFIP insurance
54%
County Massachusetts U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 1% 3% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 54% 50% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Waltham

Typical rent in Waltham is $2,268 a month: 3% above the county. In Waltham, 45% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for each area of Middlesex County; Waltham is in Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($3,008 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $57.85 an hour working full time.

Fair market rent by size in Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $2,440 $46.92 $97,600
1 bedroom $2,518 $48.42 $100,720
2 bedrooms $3,008 $57.85 $120,320
3 bedrooms $3,584 $68.92 $143,360
4 bedrooms $3,953 $76.02 $158,120

HUD splits this county into 2 areas with different fair market rents: for 2 bedrooms they run from $2,383 to $3,008. The table by area, below, shows which one each town is in.

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

Fair market rent by HUD area in Middlesex County

HUD splits this county into 2 areas, each with its own fair market rent. Find your town in its area's list; the housing agency tells you which one it uses for your voucher.

HUD area Studio1 bd2 bd3 bd4 bdHourly wage, 2 bd
Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area The area where most people liveWaltham is in this area
44 towns in this area

Acton town, Arlington town, Ashby town, Ashland town, Ayer town, Bedford town, Belmont town, Boxborough town, Burlington town, Cambridge city, Carlisle town, Concord town, Everett city, Framingham city, Holliston town, Hopkinton town, Hudson town, Lexington town, Lincoln town, Littleton town, Malden city, Marlborough city, Maynard town, Medford city, Melrose city, Natick town, Newton city, North Reading town, Reading town, Sherborn town, Shirley town, Somerville city, Stoneham town, Stow town, Sudbury town, Townsend town, Wakefield town, Waltham city, Watertown city, Wayland town, Weston town, Wilmington town, Winchester town, Woburn city

 $2,440$2,518$3,008$3,584$3,953$57.85
Lowell, MA HUD Metro FMR Area
10 towns in this area

Billerica town, Chelmsford town, Dracut town, Dunstable town, Groton town, Lowell city, Pepperell town, Tewksbury town, Tyngsborough town, Westford town

 $1,659$1,831$2,383$2,878$3,132$45.83

HUD fair market rent by area and size, per month, Fiscal year 2027. The wage is what full-time work must pay to rent 2 bedrooms without spending more than 30% of income. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027 Source: Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Fair Market Rents (HUD)

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Waltham

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Waltham has 3 ZIP codes with their own.

For 2 bedrooms it runs from $3,160 in 02453 to $3,640 in 02451.

  • 02451 $3,640$4,340
  • 02452 $3,190$3,800
  • 02453 $3,160$3,770

A ZIP code counts for Waltham when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Waltham

HUD lists 5 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Waltham. These are the largest.

  • Charles A. Lawless Apts. 48 Pine St, Waltham 02453 266 homes, 265 low-income · Run by Waltham Housing Authority · Average payment: $513 a month · Average wait: 20 months · Homes at several sites (781) 894-3357
  • Francis Cabot Lowell Mill I 190 Moody St, Waltham 02453 150 homes, 149 low-income · For older adults
  • Francis Cabot Lowell Mill II 174 Moody St, Waltham 02453 108 low-income homes · For older adults
  • ST Marys Apartments 88 Lexington St, Waltham 02452 70 homes, 69 low-income · For older adults
  • Waltham Residence 300 Florence Rd, Waltham 02453 4 low-income homes · For people with disabilities

See all 311 buildings in Middlesex County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Waltham

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

There are 5 HUD-approved agencies with an office in Middlesex County; 2 say they serve in Spanish.

An older woman smiles in front of her apartment building.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Waltham

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Waltham or Middlesex County. The ones below are statewide in Massachusetts: they work in Waltham the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Massachusetts

  • MassHousing Down Payment Assistance

    Statewide in Massachusetts

    Massachusetts state agency second mortgage for the down payment: up to $30,000 at 0% and deferred, or up to $25,000 at 2% or 3% over 15 years, for first-time buyers with eligible income. Offered by MassHousing.

    DeferredRepayable

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Waltham

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Waltham, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • American Consumer Credit Counseling

    130 Rumford Ave Ste 202, Auburndale · 2 miles away

    • Reverse mortgage counseling
    (800) 769-3571

  • Somerville Community Corporation

    337 Somerville Ave, Somerville · 7 miles away · Spanish

    Also serves in Creole and Portuguese.

    • Budget and financial counseling
    • Budget and credit workshops
    • and 3 more
    (617) 410-9905

  • Ecumenical Social Action Committee, Inc.

    434 Jamaicaway, Jamaica Plain · 8 miles away · Spanish

    Also serves in Creole.

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    617-524-2555-108

Every agency in Middlesex County All counseling agencies in Massachusetts

Help in Spanish near Waltham

2 of the 3 agencies on this list say they serve in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Waltham

HUD’s record names them for Waltham or Middlesex County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

  • Waltham Housing Authority Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (781) 894-3357

34 other authorities have an office in Middlesex County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Middlesex County

These cities are also in Middlesex County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Middlesex County Housing in Massachusetts
See 14 more cities in Middlesex County, with prices and rents

Every city has its own page with prices, rents and help.

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Waltham, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Middlesex County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Waltham.

All guides
A mother and her daughters smile together on a mountain trail with a snowy peak behind them.

Questions

Housing questions about Waltham

Short answers with the numbers for Waltham and all of Middlesex County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Waltham?

The typical home value in Waltham is $748,700, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Middlesex County it is $727,800.

How much does it cost to rent in Waltham?

Typical rent in Waltham is $2,268 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Middlesex County is $2,383–$3,008.

What is the FHA loan limit in Waltham?

Waltham uses the FHA limit for all of Middlesex County (2026): $962,550 for a one-unit home and $1,851,100 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Waltham?

The typical homeowner in Waltham pays $4,766 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.64% of the home’s value; in Middlesex County, the rate is 1.03%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Waltham?

There are 5 HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Middlesex County. 2 say they serve in Spanish. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).