Compare towns
Canton vs Melrose vs Reading
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).
Reading has the highest household income ($166k).
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 | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,748Lowest |
29,650Highest |
25,612 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+10.5% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2.3Lowest 7% above MA |
43.6±1.1 9% above MA |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
| Reading and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.2%±2.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Canton and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Reading and Melrose 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 MA: 47.3% |
62%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
66.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Melrose and Canton 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 |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $710,600±$27kLowest 26% above MA |
$822,900±$20kHighest 46% above MA |
$809,000±$22k 44% above MA |
| Melrose and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,315±$178Highest 31% above MA |
$1,970±$149Lowest 12% above MA |
$1,991±$273 13% above MA |
| Canton and Reading 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 |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±9.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.3%±8.1 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| 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 MA: 10% |
3.8% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6% MA: 62.5% |
67.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 23% above MA |
35 min 19% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 25.7%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
29.6%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Reading 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 | #50 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Melrose | Reading |
| High school in town | Canton High | Melrose High | Reading Memorial High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
12.8 |
12.1Lowest |
| 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.