Compare towns
Melrose vs Reading 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).
Reading has the highest household income ($166k).
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 | Reading | Canton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 29,650Highest |
25,612 |
24,748Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+13%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.6±1.1 9% above MA |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
42.6±2.3Lowest 7% above MA |
| Reading and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.2%±2.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
22.9%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Canton and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Reading 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
66.3% MA: 47.3% |
67.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Melrose and Canton 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 |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$143,381±$9k 38% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $822,900±$20kHighest 46% above MA |
$809,000±$22k 44% above MA |
$710,600±$27kLowest 26% above MA |
| Melrose and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,970±$149Lowest 12% above MA |
$1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$2,315±$178Highest 31% above MA |
| Canton and Reading 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 |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$6,560Lowest 9% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±8.1 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±9.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Canton and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.8% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.2%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 19% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
| Work from home | 29.6%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Reading 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 | #50 of 282 in MA | #81 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Melrose | — | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton |
| High school in town | Melrose High | — | Canton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Lowest |
— | 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.