Rents are 5% below what Waltham's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $3,045 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: August 17, 2026
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Who lives here
Waltham, MA is roughly split between renters and owners, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income above the national average, 57.3% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Waltham, MA has changed in 5 years
Compared with 2021, rent in Waltham, MA has climbed by $616 per month, settling near $3,045 after starting the period at $2,429. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $103,498 in 2021 to $120,216 more recently. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 9.2 percentage points, which means renters are spending a larger slice of each paycheck on housing than they did in 2021. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the Waltham, MA market of 2021.
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Can you afford rent in Waltham on your salary?
At $3,045/mo, how Waltham rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Waltham rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Waltham. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Waltham
Last updated: August 17, 2026
The median rent in Waltham is $3,045/mo as of August 2026. A studio apartment averages $2,463/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $3,087/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $2,603/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $3,720/mo.
At 30% of local median household income ($120,216/yr), Waltham ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.5% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
Is Waltham an affordable city for renters?
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What percentage of Waltham residents rent vs. own?
How does Waltham rent compare to the national average?
At $3,045/mo, rent takes ~30% of Waltham's median household income ($120,216/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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