The Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 estimates count about 64,902 people in Waltham, with a median household income of $120,216. Compare personal loan offers by APR and total cost, confirm every fee in dollars, and check the lender's Massachusetts license. Your own income, debts and credit decide what you qualify for.
On this page
- The basics on Waltham
- How people in Waltham earn a living
- Waltham households and housing
- Waltham labor market
- A median Waltham budget
- Borrowing takeaways for Waltham
- Waltham against similar places
- Waltham next to the places around it
- Local context
- A situation that comes up in Waltham
- Do this before signing in Waltham
- More nearby
- Frequently asked questions
The basics on Waltham
Numbers come from the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 ACS for the city of Waltham. Treat them as estimates.
How people in Waltham earn a living
Employment among Waltham residents centers on education and health care (31%), with professional, scientific and administrative services (18%) and manufacturing (11%) next. Compared with the median place in our U.S. city set, Waltham leans toward education and health care: 31% of workers against a median of 23%.
A median hides the edges. The ACS counts 16% of Waltham households under $35,000 and 57% at $100,000 or higher, with 25% above $200,000. Our U.S. city median is 39% at $100,000 or more and 20% under $35,000. Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, is 0.44.
Waltham households and housing
Waltham has a median age of 34.4 and a bachelor's-or-higher rate of 57% among adults 25 and older. Against our U.S. city medians (37.2 years, 37% with a degree), Waltham runs younger and above the typical education level. Age and schooling describe a place. A lender reads your own file.
Of every 100 homes in Waltham, about 37 are detached houses and 31 sit in larger apartment buildings. Typical for our U.S. city pages: 61% detached, 22% in five-plus-unit buildings. Housing stock is also a clue to commute length and to how much maintenance falls on the household.
Waltham labor market
Federal labor data show unemployment of 3.8% in Middlesex County for September 2026 (preliminary, not seasonally adjusted), down 0.3 points from 4.1% a year earlier. Census survey data put the Waltham rate at 3.7% on a 2020 to 2024 average. If hours slip for a month, could you still pay? That question matters more than the unemployment rate.
A median Waltham budget
Before taxes, the median Waltham household takes in about $10,018 a month. Typical rent of $2,268 is 23% of it, compared with the 30% rule of thumb of $3,005. Many lenders also look at total monthly debt payments as a share of gross income; 36% is a widely cited benchmark, worth about $3,606 a month at the median, though each lender sets its own limit. Buying the median home would take about 6.2 years of median income.
Borrowing takeaways for Waltham
Housing in Waltham is on the older side (median build year 1961). Aging systems are a predictable source of large, unplanned bills, so a repair fund beats a loan, but when the fund is empty a fixed-term loan is a reasonable tool.
Waltham has a high price-to-income gap: a median home value of $748,700 against a median household income of $120,216 (a ratio of about 6.2). When prices run ahead of incomes, households often lean on credit for the costs around a home.
Working from home is common in Waltham (24% of workers), higher than in most of our U.S. city set. For borrowers, that often means income documents come from several sources, and lenders may ask for more proof than a single pay stub.
Waltham against similar places
In the 784 U.S. city places in our dataset, Waltham has a median household income of $120,216 (No. 111 of 784), a median gross rent of $2,268 (No. 62 of 784), and a median home value of $748,700 (No. 63 of 784). Rankings shift with every Census release.
Nearby in size, and also in Massachusetts, are Framingham ($107,419 income, $2,033 rent), where Waltham runs 12% above on income and 12% above on rent and Newton ($190,304 income, $2,370 rent), where Waltham runs 37% below on income and 4% below on rent. Compare the same four numbers on every offer wherever you live.
Waltham next to the places around it
Neighboring places within about 35 miles, nearest first, using the same 2020 to 2024 Census estimates. Rent difference is measured against Waltham.
| Community | Distance | Population | Median income | Median rent | Rent vs Waltham |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belmont | 3 mi | 27,175 | $183,137 | $2,527 | +$259 |
| Watertown | 4 mi | 35,543 | $126,265 | $2,502 | +$234 |
| Lexington | 4 mi | 34,295 | $238,444 | $2,891 | +$623 |
| Newton | 4 mi | 89,044 | $190,304 | $2,370 | +$102 |
| Arlington | 4 mi | 46,350 | $150,701 | $2,082 | -$186 |
| Wellesley | 6 mi | 30,347 | $250,001 | $2,886 | +$618 |
| Cambridge | 6 mi | 118,796 | $130,748 | $2,787 | +$519 |
| Winchester | 7 mi | 23,406 | $230,198 | $2,279 | +$11 |
Households earn more at the median in 8 of the 8 neighbors, while 1 has cheaper median rent than Waltham. Rent runs from $2,082 in Arlington to $2,891 in Lexington, and the highest median income nearby is $250,001 in Wellesley. Lenders look at your own rent or mortgage, not the town average, but the spread shows how much local costs vary.
Local context
Waltham is a Middlesex County city on the Charles River west of Boston, home to Brandeis University and Bentley University. Office parks along Route 128 host many technology and life-science employers.
A situation that comes up in Waltham
Tech and professional incomes in Waltham often include bonuses and equity. Lenders usually count only documented regular pay, so do not size a loan against bonuses that may not arrive.
Do this before signing in Waltham
- Check your state's financial regulator for the lender's license, and use the CFPB complaint portal if something goes wrong.
- Run the offer checklist before you sign.
- Read your free credit reports at AnnualCreditReport.com and fix errors before you shop.
- Plan for a bad month: if hours drop or the car breaks, could the payment still go out?
- Refuse any upfront fee. Real lenders take fees out of the loan or bill them later; the scam guide shows the common pitches.
More nearby
- Personal loans in Newton, MA
- Personal loans in Cambridge, MA
- Personal loans in Framingham, MA
- Personal loans in Boston, MA
Frequently asked questions
Should Waltham homeowners use a personal loan or home equity?
It depends on how much risk you accept. About 50% of Waltham households own, and a home-equity loan or line puts the home at risk, while a personal loan is usually unsecured. For smaller, one-time costs the unsecured loan is often the simpler path; compare both in writing.
Do lenders count bonuses or stock pay in Waltham?
Usually only regular, documented income counts, and bonuses may count only with a history. Ask the lender what it will use.
Does my Waltham ZIP code matter to the check?
No. Where you live inside a state does not change the questions or the rules. Only your own answers count, and lenders must follow fair-lending laws when they decide.
Who handles lender complaints for Waltham residents?
Start with the Massachusetts financial regulator or attorney general, then the CFPB complaint portal. If you were asked to pay a fee before getting a loan, report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.