This section is generated from cached city metrics and clearly labeled state-level benchmarks. It is meant to make the Melrose page less generic and more useful for comparing housing, income, utilities, taxes, insurance, demographics, and nearby alternatives.
Affordability Summary
Population is 29,488, so Melrose should be compared with similar-size places before using broader Massachusetts averages. Median household income is $126,854, so the best affordability read for Melrose is income versus housing, taxes, utilities, and insurance together.
Median home value is $796,100, so ownership costs in Melrose should be checked with mortgage, property tax, insurance, and maintenance assumptions. Two-bedroom rent is $1,933/mo, so renters can compare Melrose against ownership costs and nearby rental markets.
Housing and Income Context
For Melrose, household income runs high enough that housing choice can dominate affordability. Home values are high, making down payment and insurance assumptions especially important.
Use the home value, rent, and income fields together before deciding whether Melrose looks more favorable for renting, buying, or comparing with Stoneham, MA.
Utility Cost Context
The residential electricity benchmark is $0.302/kWh, so Melrose households should treat usage, home size, heating, and cooling as the practical bill drivers. The electricity value shown for Melrose is a Massachusetts state-level EIA benchmark, so it should not be read as a local provider tariff.
For Melrose, utility planning is stronger when the electric benchmark is paired with home age, square footage, insulation, HVAC equipment, and household occupancy.
Property Tax Context
Median property tax paid is $7,107, so Melrose buyers should still verify parcel-specific tax records before budgeting. Parcel boundaries, exemptions, school districts, and reassessment rules can move the actual bill for a Melrose address.
Compare the property tax field with home value rather than reading it by itself; a lower tax bill can still pair with a different assessment base or exemption profile.
Insurance and Risk Context
Insurance costs in Melrose depend on address-level factors such as roof condition, structure age, coverage limits, claims history, deductible choice, and carrier underwriting.
Home value, tax burden, and insurance exposure should be reviewed together for Melrose, especially when comparing with Stoneham, MA.
Population and Demographics
Median age is 44.3, so Melrose may have different school, commute, healthcare, and housing demand patterns than a statewide average. Bachelor+ share is 62.0%, so Melrose education context can be useful when reading labor-market and school sections.
Unemployment is 4.7%, so Melrose wage and job-market context should be compared with commute options and regional employment centers.
