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CITY · 2000 CENSUS

Melrose

Massachusetts · 27,134 residents · 4.68 sq mi
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The short version

With 27,134 people, Melrose is a city in Massachusetts. The typical home is worth $252,500. This is an unusually credentialed place: 40% of adults have a four-year degree. The median age is 39.4, about 4 years above the US median. Median household income runs $62,811, well clear of the $42,589 US median. Poverty is uncommon here, at 3.3% of people here.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $42,589
Older
median age 39.4
US median: 35.2
More educated
40% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
27,134
−4%since 1990
from 28,150 in 1990
1990 – 2025
Median age
39.4
+6%since 1990
from 37.0 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
4.68 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
26K27K28K29K30K19902000201020202024Melrose
202430K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 56.7%(1,810)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 96%(1,622)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 146%(1,621)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 194.9%(1,326)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 243.9%(1,064)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3414.5%(3,944)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4417.5%(4,738)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5415.2%(4,114)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 649.1%(2,462)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 747.6%(2,067)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 846.1%(1,647)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over2.6%(719)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$62,811
+8%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $44,109 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$30,347
+50%since 1990
from $20,202 in 1990
US average: $21,522
Poverty rate
3.3%
−0.9 ptssince 1990
from 4.2% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$252,500
−2%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $195,400 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$760
−8%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $628 in 1990
US average: $602
Owner-occupied
67.0%
+1.6 ptssince 1990
from 65.4% in 1990
33.0% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990
White, non-Hispanic98.4%(27,705)
Black0.6%(157)
Hispanic / Latino0.6%(169)
Asian0.7%(211)
2000
White, non-Hispanic94.5%(25,640)
Black0.9%(246)
Hispanic / Latino1%(283)
Asian2%(545)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Puerto Rican0.9%(281)
Guatemalan0.8%(223)
Mexican0.7%(196)
Dominican0.6%(173)
Salvadoran0.6%(170)
Colombian0.6%(169)
Chilean0.3%(99)
Cuban0.1%(36)
Nicaraguan0.1%(23)
Panamanian0.1%(18)
+ 3 more hispanic origin groups with data
Spaniard0.1%(17)
Honduran0.1%(16)
Asian origin
Chinese4.1%(1,217)
Vietnamese2.8%(827)
Asian Indian1.4%(413)
Nepalese0.7%(220)
Korean0.4%(118)
Cambodian0.3%(82)
Filipino0.2%(55)
Taiwanese0.1%(43)
Bangladeshi0.1%(36)
Japanese0.1%(28)
Thai0.1%(27)
Burmese0%(12)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(1)
Ancestry
Irish27.8%(8,253)
Italian15.8%(4,692)
English11.3%(3,362)
German8.5%(2,511)
Polish4%(1,175)
Arab3.2%(951)
Scottish2.4%(724)
French2.2%(661)
Moroccan2.1%(633)
American2%(606)
Swedish1.7%(494)
+ 38 more ancestry groups with data
Russian1.5%(436)
Brazilian1.3%(394)
Greek1.3%(383)
Portuguese1.1%(319)
Lithuanian1%(288)
Canadian0.8%(249)
Welsh0.7%(219)
Norwegian0.6%(181)
Danish0.6%(166)
West Indian0.6%(166)
British0.5%(159)
Dutch0.5%(158)
Haitian0.5%(158)
Hungarian0.4%(133)
Ukrainian0.4%(132)
Scotch-Irish0.4%(110)
Romanian0.3%(87)
Bulgarian0.2%(68)
Armenian0.2%(65)
Austrian0.2%(65)
Macedonian0.2%(65)
Ghanaian0.2%(64)
Iranian0.2%(54)
Slovak0.2%(53)
Finnish0.2%(48)
Kenyan0.1%(42)
Slovene0.1%(31)
Israeli0.1%(26)
Nigerian0%(14)
Egyptian0%(12)
Syrian0%(12)
Czech0%(12)
Latvian0%(7)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
40.1%
+8.7 ptssince 1990
from 31.4% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
91.6%
+3.9 ptssince 1990
from 87.7% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
Graduate degree
15.0%
+3.1 ptssince 1990
from 11.9% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
19.7 min
−12%since 1990
from 22.5 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status
Men 15+
Never married31%(3,201)
Married61.5%(6,346)
Widowed2.7%(283)
Divorced4.8%(497)
Women 15+
Never married25%(2,942)
Married54.7%(6,441)
Widowed11.6%(1,363)
Divorced8.7%(1,029)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
0.9%
−1.3 ptssince 2013
from 2.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
75.5%
+0.2 ptssince 2020
from 75.3% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
14.4%
+1.2 ptssince 2020
from 13.2% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
20.4%
+1.9 ptssince 2020
from 18.5% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
9.9%
−1.7 ptssince 2020
from 11.6% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
0.5%
−0.4 ptssince 2020
from 0.9% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
86.2%
+0.2 ptssince 2020
from 86.0% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
27.2%
+0.3 ptssince 2020
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)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)19.3%(119)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era28.3%(174)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War10.9%(67)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%

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
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Melrose, Massachusetts?

Melrose, Massachusetts has about 27,134 residents according to the 2000 Census.

What is the median household income in Melrose, Massachusetts?

The typical household in Melrose, Massachusetts earns about $62,811 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 $252,500, and the typical rent is about $760 a month.

How educated are people in Melrose, Massachusetts?

About 40.1% 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 3.3% of people in Melrose, Massachusetts live below the federal poverty line.

Has Melrose, Massachusetts grown since 1990?

Yes, Melrose, Massachusetts has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 1,016 residents, a change of about -4 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →