Rent by ZIP code in Waltham
| ZIP code | County | Typical rent | vs city median |
|---|---|---|---|
| 02451 | Middlesex County | $3,271 | +17% |
| 02453 | Middlesex County | $2,806 | 0% |
| 02452 | Middlesex County | $2,781 | -1% |
Rent by bedroom count in Waltham
Zillow's index above blends every unit size into one number. For a bedroom level view, these are HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rents for Middlesex County. They include utilities and sit near the 40th percentile of the market, so treat them as the low side of what a typical unit lists for.
| Unit size | FY2027 Fair Market Rent |
|---|---|
| Studio | $2,440 |
| 1 bedroom | $2,518 |
| 2 bedroom | $3,008 |
| 3 bedroom | $3,584 |
| 4 bedroom | $3,953 |
Source: HUD Fair Market Rents. Updates when HUD publishes a new fiscal year.
Is rent going up or down in Waltham?
Typical rent across Middlesex County is $3,069 as of September 2026. That is up 2.7% from a year earlier and up 22.7% over five years.
| Year | Typical rent, Middlesex County | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $2,581 | +13.4% |
| 2022 | $2,790 | +8.1% |
| 2023 | $2,920 | +4.7% |
| 2024 | $2,997 | +2.6% |
| 2025 | $2,994 | -0.1% |
| 2026 (through September) | $3,069 | +2.5% |
Zillow Observed Rent Index for the county, all home types, last published month of each year. Each row is compared with the end of the year before it.
Waltham rent questions
- What is the average rent in Waltham, MA?
- Typical asking rent in Waltham is $2,806 a month as of September 2026, across 3 ZIP codes. By ZIP code it runs from $2,781 to $3,271.
- How much is rent for a 2 bedroom in Waltham?
- HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two bedroom in Middlesex County is $3,008 a month including utilities. A one bedroom is $2,518 and a three bedroom is $3,584. Fair Market Rent is set near the 40th percentile, so a typical unit lists somewhat higher.
- Is rent going up or down in Waltham?
- Rent is rising. Typical rent in Middlesex County is $3,069 as of September 2026, up 2.7% from a year earlier.
- What is the cheapest ZIP code to rent in Waltham?
- ZIP 02452 has the lowest typical asking rent in Waltham at $2,781 a month, compared with $2,806 for the city overall.
- How much income do you need to rent in Waltham?
- Most landlords look for gross income of about three times the rent. At the typical Waltham rent of $2,806, that is about $8,418 a month, or $101,016 a year. This is a common screening rule of thumb, and individual landlords set their own.
How to use these numbers
These are Zillow Observed Rent Index values, a smoothed measure of typical asking rent for single family homes, condos, and apartments in each ZIP code. They describe what units are listed for, not what any specific unit will get. Condition, bedroom count, and the exact block all move the number.
If you are underwriting a purchase, use the ZIP figure rather than the city median, and then verify against live listings for the same bedroom count before you commit. Waltham sits in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area.