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Living in
Melrose.
About
Life in Melrose
Melrose feels like a genuine suburb where you can still reach downtown Boston on the commuter rail in under 40 minutes, though most people here drive—the commute averages 35.7 minutes. The median home price sits around $822,900 with median rent at $1,970, which is expensive but reasonable for the Boston area. You're looking at a solidly middle and upper-middle class community with strong schools and a 3.8% unemployment rate, so the economic foundation is stable.
Melrose at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
43.6 yrs
Poverty Rate
3.8%
Foreign-Born
17.6%
Broadband Internet
93.8%
of households
Population Growth
-0.7%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics17.6% foreign-born, most often from China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Who lives in Melrose: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Melrose, the largest foreign-born group is from China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan (20.9%), and 5.0% of residents speak Other Indo-European at home.
Under 18
20.2%
of residents
65 and Older
20.6%
of residents
Households with Kids
29.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
30.0%
of households
Married Couples
52.0%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.37
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 12% above MA average
Rent, home values, and income in Melrose
In Melrose, rent runs 12% above the MA average, and home values are 46% above the MA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
48.0%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
23.5%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
108.3
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$7,578
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
67.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Vacant Homes
2.9%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $908,086 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.7 pts below MA average
Unemployment in Melrose
Unemployment in Melrose is 0.7 percentage points lower than the MA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Melrose Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute34.5 min avg
How Melrose residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Melrose, most residents drive alone to work (49%), and 40% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 7 mi
Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)
Major hub21.0M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 53% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Melrose runs 53% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
153.8
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
555
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Melrose Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 16 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
96.9 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Middlesex County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Middlesex County, which includes Melrose, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 16 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 16 | Thunderstorm Wind | $73,400 |
| 2024 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | $23,700 |
| 2023 | 29 | Flood | $99,100 |
| 2022 | 26 | Thunderstorm Wind | $111,000 |
| 2021 | 28 | Strong Wind | $583,500 |
| 2020 | 52 | Strong Wind | $552,300 |
| 2019 | 27 | Strong Wind | $263,750 |
| 2018 | 40 | Flood | $526,500 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Middlesex County, county-wide
Melrose is about 2% of Middlesex County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality38 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Middlesex County, which includes Melrose, is typically good — 299 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
38
Good Days
299
per year
Moderate Days
65
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Middlesex County, county-wide
Melrose is about 2% of Middlesex County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate81°F summers, 21°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Melrose has warm summers (avg high 81°F) and cold winters (avg low 21°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
59°/37°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
81°/60°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
64°/43°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
40°/21°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
50.5"
Annual Snowfall
63.5"
Hot Days/Year
12
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
134
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
138
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 38°F | 19°F | 3.86" |
| Feb | 40°F | 20°F | 3.62" |
| Mar | 48°F | 27°F | 4.89" |
| Apr | 60°F | 37°F | 4.34" |
| May | 70°F | 47°F | 3.81" |
| Jun | 78°F | 56°F | 4.21" |
| Jul | 84°F | 63°F | 4.01" |
| Aug | 82°F | 61°F | 3.54" |
| Sep | 75°F | 53°F | 3.93" |
| Oct | 64°F | 42°F | 4.76" |
| Nov | 53°F | 32°F | 4.01" |
| Dec | 43°F | 24°F | 5.02" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Melrose
Melrose has 1 hospital, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
0.9%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
Melrosewakefield Healthcare
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Winchester Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3.3 mi away · Winchester
Cambridge Health Alliance
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.1 mi away · Cambridge
The Shriners' Hospital for Children - Boston
Childrens · 6.4 mi away · Boston
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education13.9:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Melrose
Melrose's student/teacher ratio is 13.9:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 62.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
8
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
62.0%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.9:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Melrose (within 15 miles)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 18,248 students · in-state tuition $71,372 · 89% graduate · median earnings $89,087 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 17,326 students · in-state tuition $69,289 · 91% graduate · median earnings $99,371 (10 yrs after entry)
University of Massachusetts-Boston
9.9 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 11,512 students · in-state tuition $16,558 · 62% graduate · median earnings $70,597 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 10,085 students · in-state tuition $73,508 · 91% graduate · median earnings $112,178 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 8,612 students · in-state tuition $6,288 · 22% graduate · median earnings $51,734 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 7,601 students · in-state tuition $64,796 · 98% graduate · median earnings $121,957 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site, 3 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Melrose
Melrose has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site (3 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site
National Historic Site
3 mi awayBoston National Historical Park
National Historical Park
6 mi awayLongfellow House Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site
National Historic Site
6 mi awayBoston African American National Historic Site
National Historic Site
7 mi awayJohn Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site
National Historic Site
8 mi awayFrederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site
National Historic Site
10 mi awaySalem Maritime National Historical Park
National Historical Park
10 mi awayBoston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
12 mi awayPublic Libraries in Melrose
Melrose Public Library
69 West Emerson St., Melrose
Cities Near Melrose
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Melrose?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Melrose FAQ
Is Melrose, Massachusetts affordable?⌄
Melrose's median rent is $1,970/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $133,953/year. Median home value is $822,900.
Is Melrose, Massachusetts safe?⌄
Melrose's violent crime rate was 154 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 555 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Melrose, Massachusetts?⌄
Melrose has an unemployment rate of 3.8%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Melrose, Massachusetts?⌄
The cost of living in Melrose is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,970/month and median household income is $133,953/year. The median home value is $822,900. About 48% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Melrose, Massachusetts?⌄
The average commute in Melrose is 35 minutes, which is longer than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from