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Melrose vs Rockville

Melrose, Minnesota versus Rockville, Minnesota: 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 livability45/100

Rockville

Mixed · objective livability44/100

Melrose and Rockville score about the same overall (45 vs 44 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.

Factor-by-factor comparison

FactorMelroseRockville
Affordability
Median Household Income$55k$87k
Cost of Living$46k$46k
Home Value$183k$298k
Monthly Rent$985$857
Monthly Owner Costs$1k$794
Property Tax Rate1.03%1.22%
Income Tax9.90%9.90%
Sales Tax8.04%8.04%
Estimated total tax burden15.98%16.73%
Unemployment2.3%1.1%
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)11°F12°F
Summer Temp (Jul)70°F71°F
Annual Precipitation29.1 in31.0 in
Annual Snowfall39.0 in57.4 in
Sunny Days234 days234 days
Summer Humidity60°F60°F
Comfortable Days85 days88 days
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk66.552.4
Air Quality53 AQI53 AQI
School Quality53.049.6
Violent Crime527/100k767/100k
Property Crime361/100k2481/100k
Community
Population3,6062,271
Median Age45.944.7
Racial Diversity0.230.07
Male/Female Ratio1.081.07
Political LeaningR+23R+23
White (%)80.6%96.0%
Black (%)0.7%0.0%
Hispanic (%)17.6%3.0%
Asian (%)0.0%0.0%
Other / Multiracial (%)1.2%1.0%
Getting Around
Commute Time21 min
Walkability6.6/207.3/20
Airport Distance95 mi67 mi
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access81.1%87.1%
Amenities Nearby16.6430.82
Park & Nature AccessExcellentGood

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 Rockville more affordable?
Rockville has the lower cost of living: its index is $46k, compared with Melrose's $46k and Rockville's $46k. Median rent is $985 in Melrose versus $857 in Rockville.
Is Melrose or Rockville safer?
Melrose has the lower violent crime rate. Melrose reports 527/100k and Rockville reports 767/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
Are homes cheaper in Melrose or Rockville?
The median home value is $183k in Melrose and $298k in Rockville, so homes are more affordable in Melrose.
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