Residential comparison · 13 facts
Melrose, MA vs Wakefield, 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 $83,500 in Wakefield to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Wakefield, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $86,500 in Melrose.
A few differences
- Wakefield is higher on median household income ($134,306 vs $133,953).
- Wakefield is lower on cost of living index (138 vs 146).
- Wakefield is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($2,204/mo vs $2,369/mo).
Melrose vs Wakefield · facet by facet
| Facet | Melrose, MA | Wakefield, MA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $822,900 | $723,500 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $2,369/mo | $2,204/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 | 138 |
| Groceries index | 108 | 108 |
| Utilities | $245/mo | $245/mo |
| Median household income | $133,953 | $134,306 |
| 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 · Wakefield, MA
Questions & answers
- Is Melrose cheaper than Wakefield?
- Wakefield has the lower day-to-day cost index (138 vs 146 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Wakefield equals $85,000 in Melrose?
- A household earning $85,000 in Melrose needs about $83,500 in Wakefield to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Wakefield lifestyle costs about $86,500 in Melrose.