Compare towns
Hull vs Melrose vs Quincy
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hull has the oldest population (median age 56.1).
Melrose has the most people working from home (29.6%).
Quincy has the most renters (54.8% rent).
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 | Hull | Melrose | Quincy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,138Lowest |
29,650 |
102,114Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+10.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.1±1.8Highest 40% above MA |
43.6±1.1 9% above MA |
38.6±0.8Lowest 4% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 11.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.2%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.5%±1 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.4% MA: 47.3% |
62%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $115,485±$14k 11% above MA |
$133,953±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
$98,882±$5kLowest 5% below MA |
| Melrose and Hull are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $646,000±$38k 15% above MA |
$822,900±$20kHighest 46% above MA |
$618,500±$14kLowest 10% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,081±$187 18% above MA |
$1,970±$149Lowest 12% above MA |
$2,118±$59Highest 20% above MA |
| Quincy and Hull are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,089Lowest about the MA average |
$7,578Highest 26% above MA |
$6,381 6% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±14Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.3%±8.1 MA: 51.8% |
48.7%±3.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Hull and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.8% MA: 10% |
3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
10.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
67.2% MA: 62.5% |
45.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1946 18 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1958Highest 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minLowest 14% above MA |
35 min 19% above MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.7%±4.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
29.6%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.2%±1.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #66 of 282 in MA | #62 of 282 in MA | #147 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Melrose | Quincy |
| High school in town | — | Melrose High | North Quincy High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Lowest |
15.5Highest |
| 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.