MetricMelrose, MAMalden, MA
Population29,65065,906
Median Household Income$133,953$100,606
Median Rent$1,970/mo$2,204/mo
Median Home Value$822,900$633,500
Cost of Living (US = 100)108108
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income48%48.6%
Poverty Rate3.8%11.4%
Unemployment Rate3.8%4.1%
Violent Crime Rate /100k154203
Property Crime Rate /100k5551,203
Median AQI3838
Good AQI Days /yr299299
Summer Highs81°F80°F
Winter Lows21°F26°F
Snowfall64 in/yr49 in/yr
Avg Commute34.5 min34.4 min
Hospitals1—
Avg Hospital Rating3.0 / 5—
Students per Teacher13.914.1
College Degree Rate62%45.1%
Foreign-Born %17.6%41.2%
Population Growth (2020–2025)-0.7%+0.1%

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