Compare towns
Melrose vs Wakefield vs Malden
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%).
Wakefield has the most homeowners (70.7%).
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 | Wakefield | Malden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 29,650 |
27,793Lowest |
65,906Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.6±1.1Highest 9% above MA |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
35.8±1Lowest 11% below MA |
| Melrose and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.2%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
18.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| 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 MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
13%±1.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| 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 MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
45.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
9.1%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $133,953±$14k 29% above MA |
$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
$100,606±$6kLowest 3% below MA |
| 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 46% above MA |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
$633,500±$26kLowest 13% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,970±$149 12% above MA |
$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
$2,204±$62Highest 25% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,578 26% above MA |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
$4,995Lowest 17% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±8.1 MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±4.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Malden 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% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
11.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
41.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1956Highest 8 yrs older than MA |
1950 14 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 19% above MA |
33 minLowest 14% above MA |
34 min 18% above MA |
| Work from home | 29.6%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | #179 of 282 in MA | #184 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Melrose | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Malden |
| High school in town | Melrose High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Malden High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
10.7Lowest |
16.1Highest |
| 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.