Town Hall · Melrose

Melrose, MA town hall & government

Melrose spent $186.8 million in the year to June 30, 2024, about $6,408 per resident.

Where the money goes, where it comes from, property taxes, and how to reach Melrose's government.

Town budget

Where Melrose's money goes

Spent
$186.8 million
fiscal year to June 30, 2024
Per resident
$6,408
typical Massachusetts cities: $6,897
Long-term debt
$47 million
$1,611 per resident
Schools
$78.8 million42%
Sewer & trash
$10.5 million6%
Roads & transportation
$6.7 million4%
Water & other utilities
$6.6 million4%
Police
$5.7 million3%
Fire
$5.1 million3%
Parks & libraries
$3.9 million2%
Paid to other governments
$2.2 million1%
Courts, inspections & corrections
$1.8 million1%
Administration & buildings
$1.8 million1%
Health & welfare
$1.5 million1%
Interest on debt
$1.4 million1%
Housing & development
$7,000<1%
Other
$60.8 million33%

Melrose runs its own schools, so school spending is part of its budget. Comparisons are with other Massachusetts cities.

Where the money comes from

  • Property taxes 59%
  • From the state 17%
  • Fees & charges 13%
  • Utility sales 5%
  • Interest, fines & other 4%
  • From the federal government 2%
  • Sales taxes 1%
  • Other taxes & licenses <1%
Town workforce · Census estimate

Who works for Melrose

Full-time staff
586
292 part-time too
Average full-time pay
$90,800
a year, before benefits
Sworn police officers
47
and 55 full-time firefighters
Schools
340 full-time209 part
Fire
57 full-time
Police
49 full-time2 part
Parks & libraries
30 full-time36 part
Administration & buildings
28 full-time2 part
Health & welfare
15 full-time12 part
Water & other utilities
11 full-time
Housing & development
3 full-time2 part
Courts, inspections & corrections
3 full-time
Sewer & trash
2 full-time
Other
48 full-time29 part

Staff on the town's payroll in March 2022. Pay is March payroll times twelve, so it's approximate. Melrose didn't report its staffing to the Census Bureau, so these are the Bureau's estimates.

Schools · school year 2023–24

Melrose School District

Melrose's K–12 school district. The schools are run by Melrose, so this money is part of the budget above.

Spending per pupil
$17,627
Massachusetts: $26,530
Students
3,892
in the whole district
Long-term debt
None
at year end

Where the district's money comes from Massachusetts districts overall: 49% local, 43% state, 8% federal

  • Local 68%
  • State 28%
  • Federal 4%

Of the $17,627 per pupil, $10,852 goes to classroom instruction (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to support services such as buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren't in the per-pupil figure.

Property tax

What homeowners in Melrose pay

Typical tax bill
$7,578
a year · Massachusetts typical $5,992
Effective rate
0.92%
of home value · Massachusetts 1.07%
Typical home value
$822,900
owner-occupied

The median yearly bill homeowners report, covering every local property tax on the home (town, schools, county). The effective rate is that bill divided by the median home value, so it's a rough guide, not the official tax rate.

Local

Contact Melrose's government

🏛️ Official websitecityofmelrose.org ↗

Town hall & decisions in Melrose →

Beyond town hall

Who represents Melrose

Melrose is represented in Congress by Senators Elizabeth Warren and Edward J. Markey and Representative Katherine M. Clark. Maura Healey is governor.

All of Melrose's representatives, with contacts →

Budget: U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Finance (every city and town government's revenue, spending and debt, grouped into plain categories). Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 5-year estimates.

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Melrose

Massachusetts · MA
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