Waltham, MA Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Waltham, MA Summary
Cost of living in Waltham research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Waltham is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Massachusetts, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Waltham is 167, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Waltham is 1.7x higher than the national average.
Waltham ranks as the #90 cheapest in Massachusetts out of 112.
Waltham ranks as the #6,016 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Waltham is $815,148.
The median income in Waltham is $116,560.
Table Of Contents
Waltham's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Waltham, MA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Waltham has an overall cost of living index of 167, which is 1.7x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Massachusetts, Waltham has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than Massachusetts's index of 134.
The standard of living in Waltham ranks as #90 most affordable out of the 112 places we measured in Massachusetts. By definition, that implies Waltham ranks as the #22 most expensive place in the Bay State.
For more reading on life in Waltham, check out:
In Massachusetts
In America
Waltham Cost Of Living Vs. Massachusetts
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Waltham. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Waltham is 121.
The Groceries index in Waltham is 105.
The Health index in Waltham is 113.
The Housing index in Waltham is 275.
The Transportation index in Waltham is 117.
The Utilities index in Waltham is 133.
| Living Expense | Waltham | Massachusetts | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 167 | 134 | 100 | |
| Services | 121 | 121 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 105 | 106 | 100 | |
| Health | 113 | 112 | 100 | |
| Housing | 275 | 164 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 117 | 120 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 133 | 136 | 100 | |
Waltham, MA Housing Cost Breakdown
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Massachusetts, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Waltham is $815,148.
The Median Rent in Waltham is $2,232.
The Median Income in Waltham is $116,560.
The Home Value To Income in Waltham is 7.0x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Waltham is 0.23x.
| Statistic | Waltham | Massachusetts | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $815,148 | $649,115 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $2,232 | $1,687 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $116,560 | $101,341 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 7.0x | 6.4x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.23x | 0.2x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Waltham, MA Costs By Category
Detailed Waltham Services Costs Vs. Massachusetts
| Item | Waltham | Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.49 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $15.49 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $29.33 | $18 |
| Haircut | $43.72 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $65.56 | $45.56 |
Detailed Waltham Groceries Costs Vs. Massachusetts
| Item | Waltham | Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.48 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.45 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.76 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.99 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $12.52 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.21 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.53 | $3.7 |
Detailed Waltham Health Costs Vs. Massachusetts
| Item | Waltham | Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $123.17 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $157.89 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $149.22 | $113.29 |
Detailed Waltham Transportation Costs Vs. Massachusetts
| Item | Waltham | Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.43 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $97.39 | $59.92 |
Detailed Waltham Utilities Costs Vs. Massachusetts
| Item | Waltham | Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $302.72 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $187.85 | $192.25 |
Waltham SnackAbility
/10
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Waltham
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Waltham. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Cambridge, MA has a cost of living index of 201, 1.2x Waltham.
Newton, MA has a cost of living index of 208, 1.2x Waltham.
Brookline, MA has a cost of living index of 221, 1.3x Waltham.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Waltham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cambridge, MA | 117,794 | 201 | 1.2x |
| Newton, MA | 88,504 | 208 | 1.2x |
| Brookline, MA | 62,822 | 221 | 1.3x |
| Arlington, MA | 46,015 | 179 | 1.1x |
| Lexington, MA | 34,085 | 211 | 1.3x |
| Needham, MA | 32,059 | 202 | 1.2x |
| Wellesley, MA | 29,906 | 243 | 1.5x |
| Belmont, MA | 27,009 | 204 | 1.2x |
| Reading, MA | 25,448 | 164 | 1.0x |
| Winchester, MA | 22,862 | 212 | 1.3x |
