Compare towns
Wakefield vs Needham 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 most affordable homes ($724k median).
Needham has the highest household income ($214k).
Melrose has the most renters (32.8% rent).
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 | Needham | Melrose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 27,793Lowest |
32,459Highest |
29,650 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+10.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
43.6±1.1Highest 9% above MA |
| Melrose and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.2%±2.1 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Melrose and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
62% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Needham 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±$14k 29% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$133,953±$14kLowest 29% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $723,500±$24kLowest 29% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$822,900±$20k 46% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,970±$149 12% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,779 30% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$7,578Lowest 26% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.3%±8.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Needham and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.9%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7% MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
67.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1965Highest 1 yr 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%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
29.6%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
| Needham and Melrose 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 | #19 of 282 in MA | #62 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Needham | Melrose |
| High school in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Needham High | Melrose High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
11.9 |
12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.