Compare towns
Melrose vs Dover vs Malden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Melrose has the oldest housing (typical home built 1938).
Dover has the highest household income ($250k).
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 | Dover | Malden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 29,650 |
2,308Lowest |
65,906Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5% MA: +7.4% |
+8.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.6±1.1 9% above MA |
47.5±4Highest 19% above MA |
35.8±1Lowest 11% below MA |
| Dover 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 MA: 19.4% |
20.9%±4.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Dover 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 MA: 17.9% |
15.5%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
13%±1.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Melrose and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62% MA: 47.3% |
83.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
45.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
9.4%±4.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
9.1%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Dover and Malden 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 29% above MA |
$250,001Highest 140% above MA |
$100,606±$6kLowest 3% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $822,900±$20k 46% above MA |
$1,308,300±$149kHighest 133% above MA |
$633,500±$26kLowest 13% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,970±$149Lowest 12% above MA |
— | $2,204±$62Highest 25% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,578 26% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,995Lowest 17% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±8.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±4.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Dover and Malden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.8% MA: 10% |
3.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2% MA: 62.5% |
97.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
41.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1950 14 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 19% above MA |
37 minHighest 26% above MA |
34 minLowest 18% above MA |
| Work from home | 29.6%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
37.4%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Dover 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 | #62 of 282 in MA | #1 of 282 in MA | #184 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Melrose | — | Malden |
| High school in town | Melrose High | — | Malden High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Lowest |
— | 16.1Highest |
| 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.