Waltham, located in eastern Massachusetts, is a western suburb of Boston. Founded in 1636, incorporated into a town in 1738 and then into a city in 1884, Waltham is now a diverse community with various opportunities for living, education, work, and leisure.
Waltham is in Middlesex County.
Historically Waltham is probably best known as the home of the Waltham Watch Factory, a pioneer company of the Industrial Revolution.
Today the city is home to a wide variety of thriving businesses, restaurants, and two major institutions of higher learning, Bentley University and Brandeis University.
In the Waltham West Suburban area residents and visitors can take a leisurely stroll along the Charles River, delve into history at area museums, or wonder at the magnificence of the surrounding countryside, the galleries and museums, outdoor sculptures and the architecture for which the region is famous. Individuals of all ages can spend an evening or an afternoon at the theater or a concert; watch any one of the hundreds of sporting events from boat races to baseball; or go hiking, biking, horseback riding, or ice skating. There is something for everyone and for every season.
Just a few miles away are all of the cultural, historical and recreational offerings of Boston, from the Freedom Trail to Salem Village, the Boston Pops to the Boston Ballet, the Franklin Park Zoo to the New England Aquarium, of the Museum of Science to the Red Sox.
Waltham flourished throughout the 18th century as a gateway on the "Great Road" to the western parts of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. In 1814, the Industrial Revolution came to town with the establishment of the Boston Manufacturing Company textile mill on the Charles River. Forty years later, the American Waltham Watch Factory, the first factory to mass-produce watches, opened on the banks of the Charles. These companies, along with a bleachery and dye works and other factories, attracted a steady stream of workers from Europe, Scandinavia, and Canada creating an ethnic mix that continues to be the source of the unique character and community strength of the city and its many distinct neighborhoods. Although a population of more than 58,000 classifies it as a city, "Old Waltham" retains much of the small town flavor of its immigrant and culturally diverse heritage.
Waltham is the home of the Reagle Players, the Waltham Philharmonic Orchestra, and three prestigious colleges: Brandeis University, Bentley College, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute. These schools offer the community a variety of programs in the visual and performing arts. Waltham is truly an edge city with the heart of suburbia in a metropolitan region.
Waltham has something for everyone.
Housing Cost
Estimated median house or condo value in 2008: $427,167
Mean prices in 2008: All housing units: $439,559; Detached houses: $453,843; Townhouses or other attached units: $488,296; In 2-unit structures: $426,320; In 3-to-4-unit structures: $426,543; In 5-or-more-unit structures: $272,324; Mobile homes: $186,364
Demographics
Population in July 2008: 60,236. Waltham covers12.7 square miles. It sits at an elevation of 50 feet above sea level. Area codes: 781, 617, 339
Weather
Waltham, MA climate is warm during summer when temperatures tend to be in the 70's and very cold during winter when temperatures tend to be in the 20's.
The warmest month of the year is July with an average maximum temperature of 82.70 degrees Fahrenheit, while the coldest month of the year is January with an average minimum temperature of 15.70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Temperature variations between night and day tend to be moderate during summer with a difference that can reach 22 degrees Fahrenheit, and moderate during winter with an average difference of 20 degrees Fahrenheit.
The annual average precipitation at Waltham is 46.95 Inches. Rainfall in is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year. The wettest month of the year is November with an average rainfall of 4.39 Inches.
Information provided by idcide.com and city data.com
