MetricMalden, MAMelrose, MA
Population65,90629,650
Median Household Income$100,606$133,953
Median Rent$2,204/mo$1,970/mo
Median Home Value$633,500$822,900
Cost of Living (US = 100)108108
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income48.6%48%
Poverty Rate11.4%3.8%
Unemployment Rate4.1%3.8%
Violent Crime Rate /100k203154
Property Crime Rate /100k1,203555
Median AQI3838
Good AQI Days /yr299299
Summer Highs80°F81°F
Winter Lows26°F21°F
Snowfall49 in/yr64 in/yr
Avg Commute34.4 min34.5 min
Hospitals—1
Avg Hospital Rating—3.0 / 5
Students per Teacher14.113.9
College Degree Rate45.1%62%
Foreign-Born %41.2%17.6%
Population Growth (2020–2025)+0.1%-0.7%

Green = clearly better (more than 5% apart). Population, growth, weather, hospital count and foreign-born share aren’t scored.