Compare towns
Melrose vs Upton vs Natick vs Burlington
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 people working from home (29.6%).
Upton has the most affordable homes ($577k median).
Natick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.1%).
Burlington has the shortest commute (28 min average).
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 | Upton | Natick | Burlington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 29,650 |
8,189Lowest |
36,873Highest |
26,274 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+12.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.6±1.1 9% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
43.3±1.4Lowest 8% above MA |
45.9±2.2 15% above MA |
| Upton and Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.2%±2.1 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
17.1%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Natick 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%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Burlington and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
70.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
58.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Natick 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±$14kLowest 29% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$138,538±$11k 33% above MA |
$146,436±$14k 41% above MA |
| Upton and Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $822,900±$20kHighest 46% above MA |
$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
$821,000±$25k 46% above MA |
$740,600±$35k 32% above MA |
| Melrose and Natick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,970±$149 12% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,134±$124 21% above MA |
$2,718±$368Highest 54% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,578 26% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$8,914Highest 49% above MA |
$6,165Lowest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±8.1 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
41.7%±6.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50.4%±10.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Upton and Burlington 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% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
5.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
68.2% MA: 62.5% |
74.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 19% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 29.6%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
25.1%±1.9 MA: 18.6% |
22.5%±3.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Melrose and Natick 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #48 of 282 in MA | #83 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Melrose | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Natick | Burlington |
| High school in town | Melrose High | Blackstone Valley | Natick High | Burlington High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
11.2Lowest |
12.6 |
11.3 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.