Compare towns
Wakefield vs Calais 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
Wakefield has the highest household income ($134k).
Calais has the most affordable homes ($390k 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.
| Measure | Wakefield | Calais | Melrose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 27,793 |
1,713Lowest |
29,650Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.7 9% above U.S. |
42±8.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
43.6±1.1Highest 12% above U.S. |
| Melrose and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.5%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.2%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Calais and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Calais 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Calais and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $134,306±$14kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$100,625±$27kLowest 25% above U.S. |
$133,953±$14k 66% above U.S. |
| Wakefield and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $723,500±$24k 117% above U.S. |
$390,300±$36kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$822,900±$20kHighest 147% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
$1,408±$392Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,970±$149Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Melrose and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,779Highest 149% above U.S. |
$6,586Lowest 111% above U.S. |
$7,578 143% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.7%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49%±38.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±8.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Melrose and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 26% above U.S. |
31 minLowest 18% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 31% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.4%±7.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.6%±2.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | — | #62 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Melrose |
| High school in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | None in town | Melrose High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
— | 12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.