Compare towns
Melrose vs Suffield vs Wakefield vs Malden
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%).
Suffield has the most affordable homes ($408k median).
Wakefield has the highest household income ($134k).
Malden has the most renters (58.7% rent).
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 | Suffield | Wakefield | Malden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 29,650 |
15,702Lowest |
27,793 |
65,906Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +8.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.6±1.1 12% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7Highest 14% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7 9% above U.S. |
35.8±1Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Suffield 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% |
16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±1.7 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% |
18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Melrose and Wakefield 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% |
40.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
9.1%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $133,953±$14k 66% above U.S. |
$119,472±$13k 48% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$100,606±$6kLowest 25% 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. |
$407,500±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24k 117% above U.S. |
$633,500±$26k 90% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,970±$149 39% above U.S. |
$1,424±$141Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
$2,204±$62Highest 56% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,578 143% above U.S. |
$6,456 107% above U.S. |
$7,779Highest 149% above U.S. |
$4,995Lowest 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±8.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±4.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Malden and Suffield 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% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
41.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1956 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1950 30 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 31% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
33 min 26% above U.S. |
34 min 30% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 29.6%±2.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±2.3 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 | #57 of 149 in CT | #179 of 282 in MA | #184 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Melrose | Suffield School District | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Malden |
| High school in town | Melrose High | Suffield High School | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Malden High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
10.9 |
10.7Lowest |
16.1Highest |
| 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.