PlainZIP

Waltham, MA · standard

ZIP Code 02453

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

28,968
3,193/sq mi
$115,366
Median income
$705,100
Median home value
59.5%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Waltham pairs an upper-quartile household income with top-decile home values, in a suburban-density, mixed-tenure area.

Top 11%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 6%
home value, US ZIPs
3,193
people per sq mi
43%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 02453 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 02453 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Waltham, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, with 28,968 residents across 9.1 square miles, a density of 3,193 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 02453 skews affluent, with a median household income of $115,366 (0% below the Massachusetts average), while per-capita income is $56,697. Poverty here runs at 9.1%, with unemployment measured at 3.9%. On housing, the median home value is $705,100 (18% above the state average) with median rent at $2,115 per month, and 43.4% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 59.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 32.7, and the average commute is 23 minutes. Beyond these figures, 10 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Middlesex County, letting you compare 02453 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline 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 02453

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Waltham, MA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 02453.

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 02453, 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

28,968

Population

9.1

Area (sq mi)

3,193

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 02453?

32.7

Median Age

50.9%

Male

49.1%

Female

24.2%

Foreign-Born

White 59.6%
African American 7.7%
Asian 11.5%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.9%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.2%
Two or More Ethnicities 11.4%
Hispanic or Latino 18.2%

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?

$115,366

Median Household Income

-0% vs state

$56,697

Per Capita Income

9.1%

Poverty Rate

3.9%

Unemployment Rate

23.4 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 02453 ranks nationally

Waltham, MA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$115,366 Top 11% higher than 89% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $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 77.6%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 59.5%

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

What does housing look like?

13,314

Total Housing Units

12,610

Occupied Units

704

Vacant Units

2.19

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 43.4%
Renter 56.6%

$705,100

Median Home Value

+18% vs state

$2,115

Median Rent

1953

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

+6.2%

YoY Change (2024)

289

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+189%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 02453 have increased 6.2% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +189% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +2.5% 216
2021 +6.3% 229
2022 +10.3% 253
2023 +7.5% 272
2024 +6.2% 289

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 867 business establishments in ZIP 02453, employing approximately 22,576 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,898,250,000.

867

Businesses

22,576

Employees

$1.9B

Annual Payroll

18

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Construction 129 14.9%
Other services (except public administration) 99 11.4%
Retail trade 94 10.8%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 90 10.4%
Health care and social assistance 86 9.9%
Accommodation and food services 77 8.9%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 76 8.8%
Manufacturing 42 4.8%
Real estate and rental and leasing 41 4.7%
Finance and insurance 29 3.3%
Wholesale trade 27 3.1%
Transportation and warehousing 23 2.6%
Information 18 2.1%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 14 1.6%
Educational services 8 0.9%
Management of companies and enterprises 6 0.7%
Industries not classified 5 0.6%
Utilities 3 0.3%

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 02453 vs 02466 →

ZIP 02453 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 02453 ranks #2 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 02453 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 02453 ranks #null 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
02466 Auburndale, MA 8,096 1.8 mi
02465 West Newton, MA 11,710 1.5 mi
02452 Waltham, MA 14,238 2.0 mi
02451 Waltham, MA 17,426 2.2 mi
02460 Newtonville, MA 8,742 2.0 mi
02468 Waban, MA 5,273 2.9 mi
02462 Newton Lower Falls, MA 1,554 2.8 mi
02472 Watertown, MA 32,014 3.2 mi
02458 Newton, MA 12,131 2.9 mi
02421 Lexington, MA 17,342 4.8 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 02453 in? ▼
ZIP code 02453 (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 02453? ▼
ZIP code 02453 in Waltham, MA has a population of 28,968 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 02453? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 02453 is $115,366, which is 51% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 02453? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 02453 is $705,100, which is 153% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 02453? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 02453 is White at 59.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 18.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 02453? ▼
ZIP code 02453 has 867 business establishments employing approximately 22,576 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 02453? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 02453 are: Construction (129), Other services (except public administration) (99), Retail trade (94). There are 18 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 02453? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 02453 increased by 6.2% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 189%. 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 02453? ▼
In ZIP code 02453, 77.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 59.5% 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 02453? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 02453 is 23.4 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 02453? ▼
In ZIP code 02453, approximately 43.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 56.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 02453? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 02453 is 9.1% 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.