Compare towns
Melrose vs Dover vs Canton vs Wakefield
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 most renters (32.8% rent).
Dover has the highest household income ($250k).
Canton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
Wakefield has the shortest commute (33 min average).
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 | Canton | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 29,650Highest |
5,930Lowest |
24,748 |
27,793 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+13%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.6±1.1 9% above MA |
44.9±2.3Highest 12% above MA |
42.6±2.3 7% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above 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% |
26%±5.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.9%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Dover and Canton 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% |
16.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±2 MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Melrose and Wakefield 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% |
84.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
67.5% MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
7.2%±2.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Dover and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $133,953±$14kLowest 29% above MA |
$250,001Highest 140% above MA |
$143,381±$9k 38% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $822,900±$20k 46% above MA |
$1,340,300±$117kHighest 138% above MA |
$710,600±$27kLowest 26% above MA |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,970±$149 12% above MA |
$2,917±$2kHighest 66% above MA |
$2,315±$178 31% above MA |
$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
| Dover and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,578 26% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,560Lowest 9% above MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±8.1 MA: 51.8% |
20%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±9.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Canton and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.8% MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.2%Highest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
97.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.6% MA: 62.5% |
70.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 19% above MA |
35 min 19% above MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
33 minLowest 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 29.6%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
34.2%±6.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Lowest 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 | #81 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Melrose | Dover · Dover-Sherborn | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Melrose High | Dover-Sherborn Regional High | Canton High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
9.8Lowest |
13.1Highest |
10.7 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.