What stands out worked out from the figures below

Foxborough has the most affordable homes ($606k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Foxborough	Melrose
People
Population	18,615Lowest	29,650Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.4%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+10.5%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	42.4±1.9Lowest 6% above MA	43.6±1.1Highest 9% above MA
	Melrose and Foxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22%±3.1Highest MA: 19.4%	20.2%±2.1Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Foxborough and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.2%±2.4Lowest MA: 17.9%	20.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9%
	Melrose and Foxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	58.3%Lowest MA: 47.3%	62%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.2%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9%
	Melrose and Foxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$115,833±$9kLowest 11% above MA	$133,953±$14kHighest 29% above MA
	Melrose and Foxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$606,300±$28kLowest 8% above MA	$822,900±$20kHighest 46% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,843±$70Lowest 5% above MA	$1,970±$149Highest 12% above MA
	Melrose and Foxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,275Lowest 21% above MA	$7,578Highest 26% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	54%±13.7Highest MA: 51.8%	50.3%±8.1Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Foxborough and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.7%Highest MA: 10%	3.8%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.7%Highest MA: 62.5%	67.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minLowest about the MA average	35 minHighest 19% above MA
Work from home	17.8%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6%	29.6%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#138 of 282 in MA	#62 of 282 in MA
School district	Foxborough	Melrose
High school in town	Foxborough High	Melrose High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.3Lowest	12.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.