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Melrose vs Quincy

Melrose, Massachusetts versus Quincy, Massachusetts: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.

Overall livability

Melrose

Mixed · objective livability49/100

Quincy

Mixed · objective livability44/100

Melrose edges out Quincy on overall objective livability (49 vs 44 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.

Factor-by-factor comparison

FactorMelroseQuincy
Affordability
Median Household Income$126k$91k
Cost of Living$82k$82k
Home Value$732k$563k
Monthly Rent$2k$2k
Monthly Owner Costs$3k$3k
Property Tax Rate0.92%1.09%
Income Tax9.00%9.00%
Sales Tax6.25%6.25%
Estimated total tax burden16.39%17.86%
Unemployment3.9%6.7%
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)29°F29°F
Summer Temp (Jul)73°F73°F
Annual Precipitation50.5 in53.9 in
Annual Snowfall63.5 in69.7 in
Sunny Days181 days181 days
Summer Humidity62°F62°F
Comfortable Days95 days94 days
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk38.922.7
Air Quality44 AQI44 AQI
School Quality74.996.0
Violent Crime248/100k1123/100k
Property Crime496/100k1090/100k
Community
Population29,477100,981
Median Age43.138.3
Racial Diversity0.340.58
Male/Female Ratio0.951.02
Political LeaningD+64D+64
White (%)78.4%56.2%
Black (%)2.7%6.0%
Hispanic (%)5.1%5.4%
Asian (%)9.5%28.8%
Other / Multiracial (%)4.3%3.7%
Getting Around
Commute Time37 min34 min
Walkability14.4/2015.0/20
Airport Distance7 mi8 mi
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access93.0%92.7%
Amenities Nearby274.4543.57
Park & Nature AccessLimitedModerate

Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.

Frequently asked questions

Is Melrose or Quincy more affordable?
Quincy has the lower cost of living: its index is $82k, compared with Melrose's $82k and Quincy's $82k. Median rent is $2k in Melrose versus $2k in Quincy.
Is Melrose or Quincy safer?
Melrose has the lower violent crime rate. Melrose reports 248/100k and Quincy reports 1123/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
Are homes cheaper in Melrose or Quincy?
The median home value is $732k in Melrose and $563k in Quincy, so homes are more affordable in Quincy.
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