Compare towns
Melrose vs Plainville vs Wakefield
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%).
Plainville has the most affordable homes ($254k median).
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 | Plainville | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 29,650Highest |
17,551Lowest |
27,793 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +8.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.6±1.1 12% above U.S. |
44.3±1.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Plainville and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.2%±2.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Melrose and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainville 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. |
$84,343±$7kLowest 4% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14kHighest 66% above U.S. |
| 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 147% above U.S. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$723,500±$24k 117% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,970±$149Highest 39% above U.S. |
$1,126±$147Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
| Melrose and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,578 143% above U.S. |
$4,798Lowest 54% above U.S. |
$7,779Highest 149% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±8.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Melrose and Wakefield 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% |
6.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1956 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 31% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
33 min 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 29.6%±2.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #89 of 149 in CT | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Melrose | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Melrose High | Plainville High School | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
11.4 |
10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.