Residential comparison · 13 facts
Malden, MA vs Medford, MA
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Malden needs about $85,000 in Medford to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Medford, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $85,000 in Malden.
A few differences
- Medford is higher on median household income ($129,540 vs $100,606).
- Malden is lower on cost of living index (134 vs 143).
- Malden is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($2,322/mo vs $2,482/mo).
Malden vs Medford · facet by facet
| Facet | Malden, MA | Medford, MA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $633,500 | $755,500 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $2,322/mo | $2,482/mo |
| Property tax rate | 1.14% | 1.14% |
| State & local income tax | 5% | 5% |
| Sales tax | 6.25% | 6.25% |
| Cost of living index | 134 | 143 |
| Groceries index | 108 | 108 |
| Utilities | $245/mo | $245/mo |
| Median household income | $100,606 | $129,540 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 3.6% |
| Crime index | 30/100 | 30/100 |
| School rating | 8.5/10 | 8.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 200 days | 200 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Malden, MA · Medford, MA
Questions & answers
- Is Malden cheaper than Medford?
- Malden has the lower day-to-day cost index (134 vs 143 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Medford equals $85,000 in Malden?
- A household earning $85,000 in Malden needs about $85,000 in Medford to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Medford lifestyle costs about $85,000 in Malden.