Compare towns
Canton vs Webster vs Wakefield vs Melrose
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%).
Webster has the most affordable homes ($362k 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 | Webster | Wakefield | Melrose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 24,748 |
17,748Lowest |
27,793 |
29,650Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7% MA: +7.4% |
+10.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2.3 7% above MA |
39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
43.6±1.1Highest 9% above MA |
| 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 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
20.2%±2.1 MA: 19.4% |
| Canton and Melrose 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% |
19.6%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Melrose and Webster 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% |
25.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
62% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1 MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Webster 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±$9kHighest 38% above MA |
$72,895±$6kLowest 30% below MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
$133,953±$14k 29% above MA |
| 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 26% above MA |
$361,500±$12kLowest 36% below MA |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
$822,900±$20kHighest 46% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,315±$178Highest 31% above MA |
$1,228±$81Lowest 30% below MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
$1,970±$149 12% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,560 9% above MA |
$3,999Lowest 33% below MA |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
$7,578 26% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±9.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50.3%±8.1 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% MA: 10% |
12.7%Highest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
70.7% MA: 62.5% |
67.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 23% above MA |
31 minLowest 5% above MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
35 min 19% above MA |
| Work from home | 25.7%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
29.6%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | #271 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #62 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Webster | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Melrose |
| High school in town | Canton High | Bartlett High School | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Melrose High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
11.6 |
10.7Lowest |
12.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.