Compare towns
Melrose vs Ogunquit vs Needham vs Stoneham
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 renters (32.8% rent).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Needham has the highest household income ($214k).
Stoneham has the most affordable homes ($672k median).
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 | Ogunquit | Needham | Stoneham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 29,650 |
1,379Lowest |
32,459Highest |
23,355 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.6±1.1 12% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6 11% above U.S. |
42.2±2.2Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20.2%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.8%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Needham and Stoneham 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. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$113,964±$10kLowest 41% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $822,900±$20k 147% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79k 163% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$671,900±$26kLowest 102% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,970±$149Lowest 39% above U.S. |
— | $2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$2,035±$142 44% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,578 143% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,523 109% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±8.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.9%±8.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Needham and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
71% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1964 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 31% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 29.6%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Needham 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 | #117 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Melrose | — | Needham | Stoneham |
| High school in town | Melrose High | — | Needham High | Stoneham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 11.9 |
10.7Lowest |
| 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.