What stands out worked out from the figures below

Marblehead has the highest household income ($182k).

Melrose has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.5%).

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	Marblehead	Melrose
People
Population	20,413Lowest	29,650Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+10.5%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	49.1±2Highest 23% above MA	43.6±1.1Lowest 9% above MA
Kids under 18	22.3%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4%	20.2%±2.1Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Marblehead and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9%	20.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Marblehead and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	78.3%Highest MA: 47.3%	62%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9%
	Melrose and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$182,132±$28kHighest 75% above MA	$133,953±$14kLowest 29% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA	$822,900±$20kLowest 46% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,764±$147Lowest about the MA average	$1,970±$149Highest 12% above MA
	Melrose and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,309Highest 39% above MA	$7,578Lowest 26% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	49.5%±8.8Lowest MA: 51.8%	50.3%±8.1Highest MA: 51.8%
	Melrose and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.4%Highest MA: 10%	3.8%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85.2%Highest MA: 62.5%	67.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1944Highest 20 yrs older than MA	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minLowest 13% above MA	35 minHighest 19% above MA
Work from home	34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6%	29.6%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Marblehead and Melrose 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	#47 of 282 in MA	#62 of 282 in MA
School district	Marblehead	Melrose
High school in town	Marblehead High	Melrose High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.7Lowest	12.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.