Compare towns
Canton vs Gorham vs Wakefield vs Melrose
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Canton has the most kids (22.9% under 18).
Gorham has the most affordable homes ($461k median).
Melrose has the most people working from home (29.6%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Canton | Gorham | Wakefield | Melrose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 24,748 |
18,300Lowest |
27,793 |
29,650Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2.3 10% above U.S. |
39.4±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
42.4±1.7 9% above U.S. |
43.6±1.1Highest 12% above U.S. |
| Melrose and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.2%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Canton and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Melrose and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 67.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
62% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $143,381±$9kHighest 78% above U.S. |
$112,312±$6kLowest 39% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14k 66% above U.S. |
$133,953±$14k 66% above U.S. |
| Canton and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $710,600±$27k 114% above U.S. |
$460,900±$26kLowest 39% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24k 117% above U.S. |
$822,900±$20kHighest 147% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,315±$178Highest 64% above U.S. |
$1,680±$355Lowest 19% above U.S. |
$1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
$1,970±$149 39% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,560 110% above U.S. |
$4,825Lowest 55% above U.S. |
$7,779Highest 149% above U.S. |
$7,578 143% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±9.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±8.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Canton and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1956 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
33 min 26% above U.S. |
35 min 31% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 25.7%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
29.6%±2.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Melrose and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #81 of 282 in MA | #24 of 133 in ME | #179 of 282 in MA | #62 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Gorham Public Schools | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Melrose |
| High school in town | Canton High | Gorham High School | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Melrose High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
12.9 |
10.7Lowest |
12.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.