Compare towns
Canton vs Melrose vs Needham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Canton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
Melrose has the most renters (32.8% rent).
Needham has the highest household income ($214k).
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 | Melrose | Needham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,748Lowest |
29,650 |
32,459Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+10.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2.3Lowest 7% above MA |
43.6±1.1Highest 9% above MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
| Melrose and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
20.2%±2.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±2 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Melrose and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 67.5% MA: 47.3% |
62%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Needham and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $143,381±$9k 38% above MA |
$133,953±$14kLowest 29% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $710,600±$27kLowest 26% above MA |
$822,900±$20k 46% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,315±$178 31% above MA |
$1,970±$149Lowest 12% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
| Needham and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,560Lowest 9% above MA |
$7,578 26% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
50.3%±8.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Needham and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Highest MA: 10% |
3.8% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6% MA: 62.5% |
67.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 23% above MA |
35 min 19% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 25.7%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
29.6%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Needham and Melrose 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 | #62 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Melrose | Needham |
| High school in town | Canton High | Melrose High | Needham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
12.8 |
11.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.