Compare towns
Natick vs Wakefield vs Melrose
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Natick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.1%).
Wakefield has the most affordable homes ($724k median).
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 | Wakefield | Melrose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 36,873Highest |
27,793Lowest |
29,650 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.3±1.4 8% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
43.6±1.1Highest 9% above MA |
| Melrose and Natick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.2%±2.1 MA: 19.4% |
| Natick and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| 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 MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest 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 | $138,538±$11kHighest 33% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
$133,953±$14kLowest 29% above MA |
| Natick and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $821,000±$25k 46% above MA |
$723,500±$24kLowest 29% above MA |
$822,900±$20kHighest 46% 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 | $2,134±$124Highest 21% above MA |
$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
$1,970±$149 12% above MA |
| Natick and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,914Highest 49% above MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
$7,578Lowest 26% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±6.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
50.3%±8.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Melrose and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.8%Highest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
67.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 5% above MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
| Work from home | 25.1%±1.9 MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
29.6%±2.7Highest 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 | #48 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #62 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Natick | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Melrose |
| High school in town | Natick High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Melrose High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6 |
10.7Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| 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.