Compare towns
Melrose vs Brooklyn vs Natick
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).
Natick has the highest household income ($139k).
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 | Natick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 29,650 |
8,517Lowest |
36,873Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +12.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.6±1.1 12% above U.S. |
45.6±2.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
43.3±1.4Lowest 11% above 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%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±1.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Natick and Brooklyn 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%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Melrose and Natick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
70.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brooklyn and Natick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $133,953±$14k 66% above U.S. |
$96,207±$15kLowest 19% above U.S. |
$138,538±$11kHighest 72% above U.S. |
| Natick and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $822,900±$20kHighest 147% above U.S. |
$315,200±$28kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$821,000±$25k 147% above U.S. |
| Melrose and Natick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,970±$149 39% above U.S. |
$1,125±$98Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$2,134±$124Highest 51% above U.S. |
| Natick and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,578 143% above U.S. |
$4,538Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$8,914Highest 186% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±8.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.5%±19.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±6.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Melrose and Natick 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% |
5.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
68.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 31% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 29.6%±2.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.1%±1.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Melrose and Natick 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 | #62 of 282 in MA | #113 of 149 in CT | #48 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Melrose | Brooklyn School District | Natick |
| High school in town | Melrose High | None in town | Natick High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 12.6Lowest |
| 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.