Melrose vs West Salem
Melrose, Wisconsin versus West Salem, Wisconsin: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Melrose and West Salem score about the same overall (43 vs 45 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Melrose | West Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $56k | $80k |
| Cost of Living | $46k | $46k |
| Home Value | $139k | $244k |
| Monthly Rent | $975 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $174 | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.56% | 1.46% |
| Income Tax | 7.60% | 7.60% |
| Sales Tax | 5.70% | 5.70% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 13.37% | 13.95% |
| Unemployment | 3.4% | 2.4% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 17°F | 19°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 73°F | 74°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 36.8 in | 36.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 41.2 in | 54.2 in |
| Sunny Days | 216 days | 216 days |
| Summer Humidity | 63°F | 63°F |
| Comfortable Days | 85 days | 82 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 86.8 | 65.8 |
| Air Quality | 47 AQI | 48 AQI |
| School Quality | 61.2 | 53.1 |
| Violent Crime | 795/100k | 892/100k |
| Property Crime | 1947/100k | 816/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 596 | 5,253 |
| Median Age | 38.3 | 43.2 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.17 | 0.18 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.99 | 0.93 |
| Political Leaning | D+14 | D+14 |
| White (%) | 87.9% | 89.4% |
| Black (%) | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Hispanic (%) | 7.7% | 2.0% |
| Asian (%) | 0.0% | 3.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.4% | 5.4% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Walkability | 5.4/20 | 9.1/20 |
| Airport Distance | 122 mi | 125 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 88.7% | 91.6% |
| Amenities Nearby | 33.56 | 70.44 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Good |
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 West Salem more affordable?
- West Salem has the lower cost of living: its index is $46k, compared with Melrose's $46k and West Salem's $46k. Median rent is $975 in Melrose versus $1k in West Salem.
- Is Melrose or West Salem safer?
- Melrose has the lower violent crime rate. Melrose reports 795/100k and West Salem reports 892/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Melrose or West Salem?
- The median home value is $139k in Melrose and $244k in West Salem, so homes are more affordable in Melrose.