Malden vs Melrose
You are paying about $250k more for a 4BR in Melrose, and in exchange you get the stronger schools. That is the trade in plain terms: $250k for one tier of schooling.
Malden is about 9 minutes closer to downtown Boston at peak. Over a decade of commuting that gap is worth more than most people price it at.
On tax, look past the rate: Malden works out roughly $2,900 a year cheaper on its own median 4BR.
Choose Malden if you want the lower price, or the commute matters most.
All Malden numbers →Choose Melrose if you want the stronger schools of the two.
All Melrose numbers →Side by side
The better of the two is highlighted on each row. Where a row is not highlighted, the two are close enough that calling a winner would be false precision.
| Malden | Melrose | |
|---|---|---|
| School tier | mixed schoolsT4 | solid schoolsT3 |
| MCAS percentile | 33rd | 85th |
| Niche district rank | — | 57th of 236 |
| 4BR house | $700kT2 | $950kT3 |
| 2BR condo | $425k | $555k |
| Commute to Boston | 19 minT1 | 28 minT1 |
| MBTA rail | Rapid transit (T) · ~11 min to downtown | Commuter rail · ~16 min to terminal |
| Tax rate | $11.40T2 | $11.47T2 |
| Est. tax bill on that 4BR | ≈$8,000 | ≈$10,900 |
| 3BR rent | $3,440/mo | $3,403/mo |
Prices are estimates calibrated to the Zillow Home Value Index and Redfin; tax rates are FY2026 residential rates and the bill applies that rate to the town’s own median 4BR estimate; commutes take the rail leg from the MBTA timetable and still model the drive; rents are HUD FY2026 Small Area Fair Market Rents. School tiers are editorial and shown next to the state’s own MCAS figures. Data last reviewed — see the methodology. This comparison never uses demographics as an input.
