Compare towns
Melrose vs Needham vs Canton
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).
Needham has the highest household income ($214k).
Canton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
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 | Needham | Canton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 29,650 |
32,459Highest |
24,748Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1% MA: +7.4% |
+13%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.6±1.1Highest 9% above MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
42.6±2.3Lowest 7% above MA |
| Melrose and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.2%±2.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.9%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±2 MA: 17.9% |
| Melrose and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
67.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Needham 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 |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$143,381±$9k 38% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $822,900±$20k 46% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$710,600±$27kLowest 26% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,970±$149Lowest 12% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$2,315±$178 31% above MA |
| Needham 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 |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±8.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Needham and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.8% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.2%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 19% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
| Work from home | 29.6%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Needham 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 | #19 of 282 in MA | #81 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Melrose | Needham | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton |
| High school in town | Melrose High | Needham High | Canton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
11.9Lowest |
13.1Highest |
| 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.