Compare towns
Malden vs Chicopee vs Everett vs Melrose
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chicopee has the most affordable homes ($275k median).
Everett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17.8%).
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 | Malden | Chicopee | Everett | Melrose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 65,906Highest |
55,295 |
50,045 |
29,650Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.5% MA: +7.4% |
+0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+10.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.8±1 11% below MA |
41.9±1.4 5% above MA |
35.2±1.5Lowest 12% below MA |
43.6±1.1Highest 9% above MA |
| Melrose and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.2%±2.1 MA: 19.4% |
| Everett and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 13%±1.2 MA: 17.9% |
19.5%±1.4 MA: 17.9% |
11.3%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Melrose and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.1% MA: 47.3% |
22.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
24.9% MA: 47.3% |
62%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.1%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,606±$6k 3% below MA |
$62,615±$6kLowest 40% below MA |
$85,218±$7k 18% below MA |
$133,953±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $633,500±$26k 13% above MA |
$274,500±$8kLowest 51% below MA |
$610,000±$23k 9% above MA |
$822,900±$20kHighest 46% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,204±$62Highest 25% above MA |
$1,157±$50Lowest 34% below MA |
$2,076±$69 18% above MA |
$1,970±$149 12% above MA |
| Malden and Everett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,995 17% below MA |
$3,847Lowest 36% below MA |
$4,880 19% below MA |
$7,578Highest 26% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±4.6 MA: 51.8% |
52%±5.6 MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±5.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.3%±8.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Everett and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.4% MA: 10% |
17.3%Highest MA: 10% |
14.7% MA: 10% |
3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 41.3% MA: 62.5% |
55.7% MA: 62.5% |
37.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
67.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950 14 yrs older than MA |
1958Highest 6 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 18% above MA |
21 minLowest 27% below MA |
35 minHighest 20% above MA |
35 min 19% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.8%±2.3 MA: 18.6% |
8%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2 MA: 18.6% |
29.6%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #184 of 282 in MA | #247 of 282 in MA | #264 of 282 in MA | #62 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Malden | Chicopee | Everett | Melrose |
| High school in town | Malden High | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | Everett High | Melrose High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 16.1Highest |
11.2Lowest |
12.1 |
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.