Compare towns
Malden vs Maynard vs Melrose
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Malden has the most renters (58.7% rent).
Maynard has the most affordable homes ($527k median).
Melrose has the most expensive homes ($823k median).
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 | Maynard | Melrose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 65,906Highest |
10,712Lowest |
29,650 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.8±1Lowest 11% below MA |
45.3±4.3Highest 13% above MA |
43.6±1.1 9% above MA |
| Maynard and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±4.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.2%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Melrose and Malden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13%±1.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±3.3 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Melrose and Maynard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
64.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
62% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.1%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,606±$6kLowest 3% below MA |
$124,067±$16k 19% above MA |
$133,953±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
| Melrose and Maynard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $633,500±$26k 13% above MA |
$527,400±$31kLowest 6% below MA |
$822,900±$20kHighest 46% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,204±$62Highest 25% above MA |
$1,800±$148Lowest about the MA average |
$1,970±$149 12% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,995Lowest 17% below MA |
$8,266Highest 38% above MA |
$7,578 26% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±4.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
44.9%±9.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50.3%±8.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Malden and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.4%Highest MA: 10% |
8.3% MA: 10% |
3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 41.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75%Highest MA: 62.5% |
67.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950 14 yrs older than MA |
1963Highest 1 yr older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 18% above MA |
32 minLowest 9% above MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.8%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.9%±7.7 MA: 18.6% |
29.6%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Melrose and Maynard 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 | #184 of 282 in MA | #166 of 282 in MA | #62 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Malden | Maynard | Melrose |
| High school in town | Malden High | Maynard High | Melrose High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 16.1Highest |
9.7Lowest |
12.8 |
| 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.