Melrose, MA

Census place 2540115 · pop 29,650

C61/ 100
😐 Meh
A
in MA
📍 Massachusetts ranks #34 of 50 states →
🏆 Uninsured3.3% · top 1%
🚽 Commute34 min · bottom 5%
Taxes
0.92% property · US 0.99%6.25% sales · US 7.00%up to 9.00% income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Commute time34 min5

U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities

34 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Housing cost$822,9007

U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities

$822,900 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Rent$3,013/mo8

U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities

$3,013/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Natural disaster riskCounty-level96/10026

U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities

96/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Property-tax burden0.92%54

U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities

0.92% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Unemployment rateCounty-level3.5%56

U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities

3.5% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Income inequality0.4357

U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities

Gini 0.43 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Homeownership67.2%59

U.S. median 67.2% · better than most cities

67.2% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Violent crime rate141/100k62

U.S. median 152/100k · better than most cities

141 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.

Population growth (5yr)+5.5%66

U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities

+5.5% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Broadband access93.8%68

U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities

93.8% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Air quality (AQI)County-level37 AQI81

U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities

37 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Poor mental health14.5%83

U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities

14.5% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Property crime rate477/100k84

U.S. median 964/100k · better than most cities

477 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level0 days85

U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities

0 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Adult smoking8.8%88

U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities

8.8% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Median household income$133,95391

U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities

$133,953 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Physical inactivity16.6%92

U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities

16.6% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Bachelor's degree or higher62.0%92

U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities

62.0% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Poverty rate3.8%93

U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities

3.8% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Adult obesity23.8%94

U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities

23.8% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Uninsured adults3.3%99

U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities

3.3% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Frequently asked

Is Melrose, MA a good place to live?
By the numbers, Melrose scores 61/100 — a C (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is uninsured adults and its weakest is commute time. Massachusetts overall ranks #34 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
How safe is Melrose, MA?
Melrose reports 141 violent crimes per 100k and 477 property crimes per 100k — better than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
Is Melrose, MA expensive to live in?
Melrose has a median home value of $822,900 and typical rent around $3,013/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Melrose, MA?
Its weakest measured area is commute time (34 min) — 5/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Melrose, MA best at?
Its strongest measured area is uninsured adults (3.3%) — 99/100, better than most U.S. cities.

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.