Compare towns
Natick vs Gray vs Canton vs Melrose
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).
Canton has the most kids (22.9% under 18).
Melrose has the most people working from home (29.6%).
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 | Natick | Gray | Canton | Melrose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 36,873Highest |
8,429Lowest |
24,748 |
29,650 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.3±1.4 11% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
42.6±2.3Lowest 10% above U.S. |
43.6±1.1Highest 12% above U.S. |
| Melrose and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.9%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.2%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Canton and Natick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Melrose and Natick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 70.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
67.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
62% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Natick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $138,538±$11k 72% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$143,381±$9kHighest 78% above U.S. |
$133,953±$14k 66% above U.S. |
| Canton and Natick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $821,000±$25k 147% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$710,600±$27k 114% above U.S. |
$822,900±$20kHighest 147% above U.S. |
| Melrose and Natick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,134±$124 51% above U.S. |
$1,371±$89Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,315±$178Highest 64% above U.S. |
$1,970±$149 39% above U.S. |
| Canton and Natick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,914Highest 186% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$6,560 110% above U.S. |
$7,578 143% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±8.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
35 min 31% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 25.1%±1.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.7%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
29.6%±2.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Melrose and Canton 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 | #48 of 282 in MA | #10 of 133 in ME | #81 of 282 in MA | #62 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Natick | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Melrose |
| High school in town | Natick High | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Canton High | Melrose High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6 |
12.5Lowest |
13.1Highest |
12.8 |
| 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.