PlainZIP

Waltham, MA · standard

ZIP Code 02451

Middlesex County, Massachusetts - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

17,426
1,218/sq mi
$122,335
Median income
$753,000
Median home value
56.0%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Waltham pairs a top-decile household income with top-decile home values, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.

Top 9%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 5%
home value, US ZIPs
1,218
people per sq mi
59%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 02451 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 02451 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Waltham, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, home to 17,426 residents across 14.3 square miles, a density of 1,218 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 02451 skews affluent, with a median household income of $122,335 (6% above the Massachusetts average), while per-capita income is $67,455. 8.3% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 3.4%. The typical home here is valued at $753,000 (26% above the state average); renters pay a median of $2,677 monthly, and 59.3% of units are owner-occupied.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 56.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 40.3, and the average commute is 26 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 10 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 02451, plus 6 more within Middlesex County, give a clearer read than the national average alone.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 02451

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Waltham, MA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 02451.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 02451, Waltham, MA · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

17,426

Population

14.3

Area (sq mi)

1,218

People / sq mi

New York

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 02451?

40.3

Median Age

50.1%

Male

49.9%

Female

29.4%

Foreign-Born

White 56.7%
African American 8.7%
Asian 17.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 11.0%
Hispanic or Latino 15.2%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$122,335

Median Household Income

+6% vs state

$67,455

Per Capita Income

8.3%

Poverty Rate

3.4%

Unemployment Rate

26.1 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 02451 ranks nationally

Waltham, MA household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$122,335 Top 9% higher than 91% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Below this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Below this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). This entry sits in this band. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 77.1%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 56.0%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

7,748

Total Housing Units

7,481

Occupied Units

267

Vacant Units

2.30

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 59.3%
Renter 40.7%

$753,000

Median Home Value

+26% vs state

$2,677

Median Rent

1965

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+5.3%

YoY Change (2024)

270

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+170%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 02451 have increased 5.3% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +170% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +2.6% 209
2021 +6.7% 223
2022 +10.1% 246
2023 +4.4% 256
2024 +5.3% 270

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 1,195 business establishments in ZIP 02451, employing approximately 59,760 people with a combined annual payroll of $8,176,869,000.

1,195

Businesses

59,760

Employees

$8.2B

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Professional, scientific, and technical services 226 18.9%
Accommodation and food services 169 14.1%
Health care and social assistance 133 11.1%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 97 8.1%
Finance and insurance 85 7.1%
Construction 75 6.3%
Information 67 5.6%
Other services (except public administration) 65 5.4%
Retail trade 64 5.4%
Management of companies and enterprises 50 4.2%
Wholesale trade 49 4.1%
Real estate and rental and leasing 46 3.9%
Manufacturing 23 1.9%
Transportation and warehousing 18 1.5%
Educational services 16 1.3%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 9 0.8%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 02451 vs 02452 →

ZIP 02451 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 02451 ranks #3 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 02451 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 02451 ranks #8 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
02452 Waltham, MA 14,238 1.9 mi
02453 Waltham, MA 28,968 2.2 mi
02421 Lexington, MA 17,342 2.9 mi
02466 Auburndale, MA 8,096 3.8 mi
02462 Newton Lower Falls, MA 1,554 4.7 mi
02465 West Newton, MA 11,710 3.7 mi
02478 Belmont, MA 24,664 4.0 mi
01773 Lincoln, MA 5,112 3.3 mi
01731 Hanscom Afb, MA 1,396 4.2 mi
02493 Weston, MA 11,261 3.5 mi

More ZIP Codes in Middlesex County

02148 standard
Malden, MA
Pop: 59,503
02155 standard
Medford, MA
Pop: 57,964
02149 standard
Everett, MA
Pop: 41,550
01801 standard
Woburn, MA
Pop: 38,903
01752 standard
Marlborough, MA
Pop: 38,499
01702 standard
Framingham, MA
Pop: 37,206

Related Areas

Middlesex County Waltham, MA Massachusetts

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 02451 in? ▼
ZIP code 02451 (Waltham) is located in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. Middlesex County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/middlesex-ma.
What is the population of ZIP code 02451? ▼
ZIP code 02451 in Waltham, MA has a population of 17,426 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 02451? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 02451 is $122,335, which is 60% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 02451? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 02451 is $753,000, which is 171% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 02451? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 02451 is White at 56.7%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 15.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 02451? ▼
ZIP code 02451 has 1,195 business establishments employing approximately 59,760 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 02451? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 02451 are: Professional, scientific, and technical services (226), Accommodation and food services (169), Health care and social assistance (133). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 02451? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 02451 increased by 5.3% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 170%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 02451? ▼
In ZIP code 02451, 77.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 56.0% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 02451? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 02451 is 26.1 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 02451? ▼
In ZIP code 02451, approximately 59.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 40.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 02451? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 02451 is 8.3% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.