What stands out worked out from the figures below

Melrose has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.5%).

Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).

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	Ware
People
Population	29,650Highest	10,048Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.5%Highest MA: +7.4%	+2%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.6±1.1Highest 9% above MA	43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA
	Melrose and Ware 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%	19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Melrose and Ware 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%	20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	62%Highest MA: 47.3%	24%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9%	4.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Melrose and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$133,953±$14kHighest 29% above MA	$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$822,900±$20kHighest 46% above MA	$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,970±$149Highest 12% above MA	$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,578Highest 26% above MA	$4,237Lowest 29% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.3%±8.1Lowest MA: 51.8%	64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8%
	Ware 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%	11.8%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	67.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%	72.3%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA	1960Highest 4 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minHighest 19% above MA	28 minLowest about the MA average
Work from home	29.6%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6%	12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#62 of 282 in MA	#267 of 282 in MA
School district	Melrose	Ware
High school in town	Melrose High	Ware Junior/Senior High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Highest	11.1Lowest
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.