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Data from U.S. Census Bureau · 2026 · Methodology
CitySpend

Waltham, MA

Population: 64,711 (2022) · Small Cities (50K–100K)

D
42/100

Below average — significant fiscal challenges in multiple areas

Total Spending
$2.9B
Per Capita
$45,238
Total Revenue
$2.4B
Total Debt
$5.9M

Spending Breakdown

Education
54.4%$1.6B
Other
23.5%$686.7M
Utilities
7.0%$205.0M
Housing & Community Development
6.6%$192.9M
Public Welfare
3.1%$90.9M
Sewerage
1.4%$39.6M
Highways & Roads
1.3%$37.6M
Health
1.0%$28.4M
Fire Protection
0.8%$23.8M
Parks & Recreation
0.7%$20.1M
Hospitals
0.3%$9.8M

Spending data sourced from the Census Bureau's Annual Survey of State & Local Government Finances. Per-capita comparisons use the Lincoln Institute's Fiscally Standardized Cities methodology for fair cross-city benchmarking.

Revenue Sources

Sales Tax
0.5%$11.3M
Intergovernmental
100.0%$2.4B
Charges & Fees
6.6%$154.6M
Other
10.9%$257.4M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Fire Protection$367/person
Highways & Roads$582/person
Parks & Recreation$310/person
Education$24,611/person
Health$440/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)6/100
Debt Burden (20%)100/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)0/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)0/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Debt Overview

Total Debt$5.9M
Long-Term Debt$24.9M
Debt Per Capita$91
Cash & Securities$1.1M

Compare Cities

See how Waltham stacks up against another city.

vs Boston, MAvs Worcester, MAvs Springfield, MA
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in Massachusetts

Boston, MA

Pop. 666K

C
Total Spending
$48.1B
Per Capita
$72,299

Worcester, MA

Pop. 204K

C
Total Spending
$8.6B
Per Capita
$42,049

Springfield, MA

Pop. 155K

D
Total Spending
$10.2B
Per Capita
$65,626

Cambridge, MA

Pop. 118K

C
Total Spending
$15.4B
Per Capita
$130,737

Compare Waltham With

Boston, MA

Spending: $72,299/person · Grade: C

Worcester, MA

Spending: $42,049/person · Grade: C

Springfield, MA

Spending: $65,626/person · Grade: D

Cambridge, MA

Spending: $130,737/person · Grade: C

Frequently Asked Questions

Waltham, MA spends $45,238 per resident, based on total expenditures of $2.9B for a population of 64,711. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of D (42/100).

Waltham, MA has total expenditures of $2.9B and total revenue of $2.4B. The city carries $5.9M in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

Waltham, MA employs 0 government workers, of which 0 are full-time. The average government salary is $0, with 0.0 employees per 10,000 residents.

Waltham, MA has a Fiscal Health Score of D (42/100). This score evaluates budget balance, debt burden, pension funding, spending efficiency, revenue diversity, and 3-year fiscal trajectory compared to peer cities of similar population.

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