Compare towns
Melrose vs Natick vs Suffield vs Burlington
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%).
Natick has the most kids (21.2% under 18).
Suffield has the most affordable homes ($408k median).
Burlington has the highest household income ($146k).
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 | Natick | Suffield | Burlington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 29,650 |
36,873Highest |
15,702Lowest |
26,274 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +7.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.6±1.1 12% above U.S. |
43.3±1.4Lowest 11% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7 14% above U.S. |
45.9±2.2Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Burlington and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.2%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±1.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.1%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Natick and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Burlington and Melrose 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% |
70.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
58.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Natick 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±$14k 66% above U.S. |
$138,538±$11k 72% above U.S. |
$119,472±$13kLowest 48% above U.S. |
$146,436±$14kHighest 81% above U.S. |
| Burlington and Natick 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. |
$821,000±$25k 147% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$740,600±$35k 123% 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. |
$2,134±$124 51% above U.S. |
$1,424±$141Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,718±$368Highest 92% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,578 143% above U.S. |
$8,914Highest 186% above U.S. |
$6,456 107% above U.S. |
$6,165Lowest 98% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±8.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.4%±10.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Suffield and Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
68.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 31% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 29.6%±2.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.1%±1.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.5%±3.2 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 | #48 of 282 in MA | #57 of 149 in CT | #83 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Melrose | Natick | Suffield School District | Burlington |
| High school in town | Melrose High | Natick High | Suffield High School | Burlington High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
12.6 |
10.9Lowest |
11.3 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.