Compare towns
Melrose vs Malden 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 people working from home (29.6%).
Malden has the most renters (58.7% rent).
Wakefield has the most homeowners (70.7%).
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 | Malden | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 29,650 |
65,906Highest |
27,793Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5% MA: +7.4% |
+11.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.6±1.1Highest 9% above MA |
35.8±1Lowest 11% below MA |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
| Melrose and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.2%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Melrose and Wakefield 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% |
13%±1.2Lowest 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
45.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
9.1%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $133,953±$14k 29% above MA |
$100,606±$6kLowest 3% below MA |
$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
| Wakefield 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 46% above MA |
$633,500±$26kLowest 13% above MA |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,970±$149 12% above MA |
$2,204±$62Highest 25% above MA |
$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,578 26% above MA |
$4,995Lowest 17% below MA |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±8.1 MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±4.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| 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%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.4%Highest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2% MA: 62.5% |
41.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1950 14 yrs older than MA |
1956Highest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 19% above MA |
34 min 18% above MA |
33 minLowest 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 29.6%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Melrose and Wakefield 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 | #184 of 282 in MA | #179 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.