Residential comparison · 13 facts
Melrose, MA vs Saugus, 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 Melrose needs about $72,500 in Saugus to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Saugus, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $97,500 in Melrose.
A few differences
- Melrose is higher on median household income ($133,953 vs $101,539).
- Saugus is lower on cost of living index (132 vs 146).
- Saugus is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($2,241/mo vs $2,369/mo).
Melrose vs Saugus · facet by facet
| Facet | Melrose, MA | Saugus, MA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $822,900 | $603,400 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $2,369/mo | $2,241/mo |
| Property tax rate | 1.14% | 1.14% |
| State & local income tax | 5% | 5% |
| Sales tax | 6.25% | 6.25% |
| Cost of living index | 146 | 132 |
| Groceries index | 108 | 108 |
| Utilities | $245/mo | $245/mo |
| Median household income | $133,953 | $101,539 |
| 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: Melrose, MA · Saugus, MA
Questions & answers
- Is Melrose cheaper than Saugus?
- Saugus has the lower day-to-day cost index (132 vs 146 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Saugus equals $85,000 in Melrose?
- A household earning $85,000 in Melrose needs about $72,500 in Saugus to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Saugus lifestyle costs about $97,500 in Melrose.