What stands out worked out from the figures below

Melrose has the most renters (32.8% rent).

Stow has the highest household income ($186k).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Melrose	Stow
People
Population	29,650Highest	7,165Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.5%Highest MA: +7.4%	+8.9%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.6±1.1Lowest 9% above MA	44.1±4.4Highest 10% above MA
	Stow 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%	22.3%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4%
	Stow and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9%	19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Melrose and Stow 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%	75.1%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9%	3.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Melrose and Stow 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	$185,809±$22kHighest 79% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$822,900±$20kHighest 46% above MA	$729,600±$39kLowest 30% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,970±$149Highest 12% above MA	$1,782±$126Lowest about the MA average
	Melrose and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,578Lowest 26% above MA	$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.3%±8.1Lowest MA: 51.8%	59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8%
	Stow and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.8%Lowest MA: 10%	5.2%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	67.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%	85.4%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA	1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minLowest 19% above MA	36 minHighest 23% above MA
Work from home	29.6%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6%	36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6%
	Stow 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	#44 of 282 in MA
School district	Melrose	Nashoba
High school in town	Melrose High	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.