Compare towns
Wakefield vs Burlington vs Melrose
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wakefield has the youngest population (median age 42.4).
Burlington has the shortest commute (28 min average).
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.
| Measure | Wakefield | Burlington | Melrose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 27,793 |
26,274Lowest |
29,650Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7% MA: +7.4% |
+7.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
45.9±2.2Highest 15% above MA |
43.6±1.1 9% above MA |
| Burlington and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
17.1%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.2%±2.1Highest 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+ | 19%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Burlington and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.7% MA: 47.3% |
58.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
$146,436±$14kHighest 41% above MA |
$133,953±$14kLowest 29% above MA |
| Burlington and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $723,500±$24kLowest 29% above MA |
$740,600±$35k 32% above MA |
$822,900±$20kHighest 46% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
$2,718±$368Highest 54% above MA |
$1,970±$149 12% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,779Highest 30% above MA |
$6,165Lowest about the MA average |
$7,578 26% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50.4%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.3%±8.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Burlington and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.9% MA: 10% |
5.9%Highest MA: 10% |
3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7% MA: 62.5% |
74.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
67.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 14% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
22.5%±3.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
29.6%±2.7Highest 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 | #179 of 282 in MA | #83 of 282 in MA | #62 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Burlington | Melrose |
| High school in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Burlington High | Melrose High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
11.3 |
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.