United States › Massachusetts › Melrose CITY
Melrose Massachusetts · 29,597 residents (2025 est.) · 4.68 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Melrose is home to 29,650 people in Massachusetts. This is an unusually credentialed place: 62% of adults have a four-year degree. The typical home is worth $822,900, having roughly tripled since 2000. That puts it in the top 3% of US cities for household income. Median household income runs $133,953, well clear of the $82,259 US median. Density works out to 6,331 people per square mile.
At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 43.6
US median: 38.9
More educated
62% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 79%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 27,134 in 2000
29,597 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
6,331 / sq mi
+11%since 2009
from 5,695 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 39.4 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
26K 27K 28K 29K 30K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Melrose Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $133,953
+17%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $62,811 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $30,347 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 53.1% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 3.3% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.402 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Public administration 9.1%
Arts, entertainment, food 2.8%
Professional, scientific, technical 2.4%
Transportation & warehousing 1.3%
Education & health services 0.4%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$822,900
+79%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $252,500 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,970
+42%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $760 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 67.0% in 2000
32.8% rent
from 4.8% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.50 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 31.7% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 38.6% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 5.4 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 94.5%(25,640)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 76.9%(22,792)
Hispanic / Latino 5.2%(1,532)
from 23 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Hispanic origin
+ 3 more hispanic origin groups with data Ancestry
+ 38 more ancestry groups with data from 40.1% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 91.6% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 15.0% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 19.7 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 69.9% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 6.4% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 16.1% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 3.6% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 3.5% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 9.4% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 5.7% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 70.3% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 85.5% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 12.8% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 51.4% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 12.5% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 8.8% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 8.0% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 2.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 88.6% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 93.8% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 92.8% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 86.5% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 1.8% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 33.1%(4,054)
Women 15+
Never married 25.2%(3,164)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 2.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 75.3% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 13.2% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 18.5% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 11.6% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 0.9% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 86.0% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 26.9% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 21.8%(134)
Gulf War (1990s) 19.3%(119)
Share of the 615 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Melrose, Massachusetts? Melrose, Massachusetts has about 29,650 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Melrose, Massachusetts? The typical household in Melrose, Massachusetts earns about $133,953 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Melrose, Massachusetts expensive? In Melrose, Massachusetts, the median home is worth about $822,900, and the typical rent is about $1,970 a month.
How educated are people in Melrose, Massachusetts? About 62.0% of adults age 25 and over in Melrose, Massachusetts hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Melrose, Massachusetts? About 3.8% of people in Melrose, Massachusetts live below the federal poverty line.
Has Melrose, Massachusetts grown since 1990? Yes, Melrose, Massachusetts has grown since 1990. The population has added about 1,500 residents, a change of about 5 percent over that period.
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