Overview

Introduction to Waltham, Massachusetts

Waltham, Massachusetts, in Middlesex county, is 9 miles W of Boston, Massachusetts. The municipality is located along the Charles River. Waltham means "home in the woods." The city was one of the prominent manufacturing locations during the Industrial Revolution. It's known as "Watch City" due to formerly being a prominent watch making location. Waltham includes numerous high-tech companies and is located in the Boston Route 128 High Technology Corridor. The town is a Boston suburb but has kept its unique character.

Waltham History

The area was settled in 1634 and was known as Watertown. Waltham was incorporated as a town in 1738. During the early portion of the 19th century the notable Boston Manufacturing Company was established in Waltham. It's regarded as one of the initial integrated textile mills in the nation. In 1854 the prominent Waltham Watch Company was established and was the first to produce watches by utilizing an assembly line. Over 40 million watches, clocks and instruments were produced. In the early stages of the 20th century the town was home to Metz, an automobile manufacturer.

Waltham Attractions

  • Gore Place is an historic mansion and includes a large carriage house
  • Robert Treat Paine' Estate is a historic country home
  • Moody Street, AKA "Restaurant Row" is located in the downtown area features unique shops, numerous restaurants and bars and an active nightlife
  • Lyman Estate is a notable historic Federal style mansion and features a grand ballroom
  • The Sports Authority Training Center is home to a practice facility of the Boston Celtics
  • Concerts on Waltham Common offers musical entertainment during the summer
  • Charles River Museum of History is situated in the historic Boston Manufacturing Company textile mill. It features exhibits on a variety of inventions including steam engines, timepieces, bicycles, machine tools, automobiles and generators
  • Waltham Museum
  • Codman House
  • Waltham Watch Company Building
  • Rose Art Museum is situated on the Brandeis University campus
  • Gropius House
  • Reagle Players
  • Bentley College Performing Arts Series
  • Numerous antique shops

Waltham Activities

The Charles River is utilized for sailing, canoeing, kayaking, rowing and sculling. The River Walk is a scenic walking and bicycle riding trail situated along the Charles River. The nearby Waldon Pond Forest is a scenic location. The city features an active nightlife and The Watch City Brewing Company and Skellig are two of the popular destinations. Residents enjoy the activities and the professional sports teams located in nearby Boston.

Waltham Higher Education

The city is home to Bentley College and Brandeis University.

Waltham Transportation

The MTBA offers commuter rail and bus services.

Demographics

People

Total Population62,979
Male Share of the Population49.3%
Female Share of the Population50.7%
Senior Citizens13.7%
Employed Population 16+35,485
Age of the Population34

Families

% of people married40.1%
Average household size2

Education and Earnings

Population % with Bachelor Degree or Higher51.8%
Median Earnings25+$51,819
Median Earnings Without High School Qualification$24,477
Median Earnings With High School Degree$39,513

Wealth

Median Family Income$108,668
% Above Poverty Level89.1%
% Below Poverty Level10.9%

Commute & Sprawl

Average Commute Time26 minutes
% Working from Home5.1%
% Walking and Biking to Work8.7%
% Using Public Transportation7%

Housing

People Living Alone33.2%
Median Gross Rent$1,584
Median House Value$497,100

Ancestry

Other(often includes Hispanic and African American)28.4%
Irish17.5%
Italian13.3%
English6.8%
German4.7%
Canadian3.3%
Polish3%
French Except Basque2.9%
West Indian2.7%
African2.6%
US/American2.2%
Russian2%
Haitian1.9%
Scottish1.8%
Ugandan1.2%
Greek1.1%
Swedish0.9%
Brazilian0.9%
Portuguese0.9%
Arab0.8%
Norwegian0.6%
Ukrainian0.6%
Welsh0.5%
Lithuanian0.4%
Dutch0.4%
Czech0.3%
Lebanese0.3%
Jamaican0.3%
Romanian0.3%
Finnish0.3%
Iranian0.3%
Hungarian0.3%
Bulgarian0.2%
Syrian0.2%
Austrian0.2%
Nigerian0.2%
Slovak0.2%
Danishn0.2%
Turkish0.2%
Albanian0.2%
British0.2%
Ghanaian0.1%
Ethiopian0.1%
Croatian0.1%
Latvian0.1%
South African0.1%
Belgian0.1%
Swiss0.1%
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Waltham Almanac

CategoryValue
CountyMiddlesex County
Standard Zip Codes02453, 02451, 02452
P.O. Box Zip Codes2454
Phone Area Codes50,89,78,33,96,17,781, 339, 15, 08, 978
Time ZoneAmerica/New_York
Approximate Latitude42.37
Approximate Longitude-71.24

Waltham Climate

Nearest Weather Stations

Notes:

  • Temp ranges are avg daily min and max for the month
  • Precipitation is rainfall (and rainfall equiv of snowfall)

StationBEDFORD
Distance7.8 miles
Jan Temp16 to 35 F
Apr Temp36 to 58 F
Jul Temp60 to 83 F
Oct Temp39 to 62 F
Annual Precip46.9 inches
StationREADING
Distance11 miles
Jan Temp16 to 35 F
Apr Temp35 to 58 F
Jul Temp60 to 83 F
Oct Temp39 to 62 F
Annual Precip48.3 inches
StationWALPOLE 2
Distance14.5 miles
Jan Temp18 to 36 F
Apr Temp37 to 58 F
Jul Temp62 to 83 F
Oct Temp41 to 62 F
Annual Precip46.5 inches

Nearby Cities and Towns

LocationPopulationMedian Family Income
Belmont26,043$154,968
Lexington33,480$206,591
Newton88,660$182,139

Waltham Public Libraries

Waltham Public Library
735 MAIN ST.
Waltham, Massachusetts
(781) 314-3425

library logo

More Information for Librarians

Waltham Public Schools

Thomas R Plympton Elementary School
20 Farnsworth Street
ZIP: 2451
(781) 314-5765
Primary
Total Enrollment 434
Douglas Macarthur Elementary School
494 Lincoln Street
ZIP: 2452
(781) 314-5721
Primary
Total Enrollment 368
John F Kennedy Middle
655 Lexington St
ZIP: 2452
(781) 314-5565
Middle
Total Enrollment 534
Northeast Elementary School
70 Putney Lane
ZIP: 2452
(781) 314-5745
Primary
Total Enrollment 477
Waltham Sr High
617 Lexington Street
ZIP: 2452
(781) 314-5445
High
Total Enrollment 1439
Henry Whittemore Elementary School
30 Parmenter Road
ZIP: 2453
(781) 314-5785
Primary
Total Enrollment 431
James Fitzgerald Elementary School
140 Beal Road
ZIP: 2453
(781) 314-5685
Primary
Total Enrollment 508
John W. Mcdevitt Middle School
75 Church Street
ZIP: 2453
(781) 314-5595
Middle
Total Enrollment 552
William F. Stanley Elementary School
250 South Street
ZIP: 2453
(781) 314-5620
Primary
Total Enrollment 511

Waltham Private Schools

Milestones Day School
410 Totten Pond Rd Fl 2
ZIP: 2451
Combined Elementary And Secondary
Total Enrollment 63
Chapel Hill Chauncy Hall School
785 Beaver St
ZIP: 2452
Secondary
Total Enrollment 163
Gann Academy-the New Jewish High School
333 Forest St
ZIP: 2452
Secondary
Total Enrollment 331
Our Ladys Academy
920 Trapelo Rd
ZIP: 2452
Elementary
Total Enrollment 252
Protestant Guild For Human Services
411 Waverley Oaks Rd Ste 104
ZIP: 2452
Combined Elementary And Secondary
Total Enrollment 60
St Jude School
175 Main St
ZIP: 2453
Elementary
Total Enrollment 148
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