What stands out worked out from the figures below

Melrose has the most people working from home (29.6%).

Everett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17.8%).

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	Melrose	Everett
People
Population	29,650Lowest	50,045Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.5%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.6±1.1Highest 9% above MA	35.2±1.5Lowest 12% below MA
Kids under 18	20.2%±2.1Lowest MA: 19.4%	21.8%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4%
	Everett 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%	11.3%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	62%Highest MA: 47.3%	24.9%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.6%±1Lowest MA: 7.9%	6.3%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9%
	Everett 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±$14kHighest 29% above MA	$85,218±$7kLowest 18% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$822,900±$20kHighest 46% above MA	$610,000±$23kLowest 9% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,970±$149Lowest 12% above MA	$2,076±$69Highest 18% above MA
	Everett and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,578Highest 26% above MA	$4,880Lowest 19% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.3%±8.1Lowest MA: 51.8%	56.4%±5.8Highest MA: 51.8%
	Everett and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.8%Lowest MA: 10%	14.7%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	67.2%Highest MA: 62.5%	37.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938 26 yrs older than MA	1938 26 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minLowest 19% above MA	35 minHighest 20% above MA
Work from home	29.6%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6%	10.5%±2Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#62 of 282 in MA	#264 of 282 in MA
School district	Melrose	Everett
High school in town	Melrose High	Everett High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Highest	12.1Lowest
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.