Compare towns
Melrose vs Brooklyn vs Malden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Melrose has the most people working from home (29.6%).
Brooklyn has the most affordable homes ($315k median).
Malden has the most renters (58.7% 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 | Melrose | Brooklyn | Malden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 29,650 |
8,517Lowest |
65,906Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +11.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.6±1.1 12% above U.S. |
45.6±2.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
35.8±1Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Brooklyn and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.2%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brooklyn and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Melrose and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
9.1%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $133,953±$14kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$96,207±$15kLowest 19% above U.S. |
$100,606±$6k 25% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $822,900±$20kHighest 147% above U.S. |
$315,200±$28kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$633,500±$26k 90% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,970±$149 39% above U.S. |
$1,125±$98Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$2,204±$62Highest 56% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,578Highest 143% above U.S. |
$4,538Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$4,995 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±8.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.5%±19.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±4.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Malden and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
41.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1950 30 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 31% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
34 min 30% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 29.6%±2.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #62 of 282 in MA | #113 of 149 in CT | #184 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Melrose | Brooklyn School District | Malden |
| High school in town | Melrose High | None in town | Malden High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Lowest |
— | 16.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.