What stands out worked out from the figures below

Springfield has the most affordable homes ($245k median).

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

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	Springfield	Melrose
People
Population	154,749Highest	29,650Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+1.9%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+10.5%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	33.7±0.5Lowest 16% below MA	43.6±1.1Highest 9% above MA
Kids under 18	24.2%±0.9Highest MA: 19.4%	20.2%±2.1Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	13.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9%	20.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	20.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%	62%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	7.5%±0.5Highest MA: 7.9%	4.6%±1Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$52,656±$2kLowest 49% below MA	$133,953±$14kHighest 29% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$245,000±$4kLowest 56% below MA	$822,900±$20kHighest 46% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,144±$55Lowest 35% below MA	$1,970±$149Highest 12% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,695Lowest 38% below MA	$7,578Highest 26% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.7%±3.1Highest MA: 51.8%	50.3%±8.1Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Springfield and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	25.8%Highest MA: 10%	3.8%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	49.6%Lowest MA: 62.5%	67.2%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1952Highest 12 yrs older than MA	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 31% below MA	35 minHighest 19% above MA
Work from home	8.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6%	29.6%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#276 of 282 in MA	#62 of 282 in MA
School district	Springfield	Melrose
High school in town	Springfield Central High	Melrose High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.2Lowest	12.8Highest
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.