| Index | Melrose | Massachusetts | National |
| Cost of living | 167 | 131 | 100 |
| Groceries | 111 | 109 | 100 |
| Health care | 115 | 116 | 100 |
| Housing | 287 | 169 | 100 |
| Transportation | 114 | 115 | 100 |
| Utilities | 119 | 117 | 100 |
| Lifestyle & Entertainment | 112 | 115 | 100 |
| Household Items | 109 | 109 | 100 |
| Education & Childcare | 131 | 127 | 100 |
Are you thinking about relocating, but curious about the potential cost of living in Melrose? Is it more expensive or more affordable than average? Based on the most recent report, the cost of living in Melrose stands at 167, making it 67% higher than the national average. The cost of living directly affects the affordability of one's desired lifestyle. Knowing the cost of housing, transportation, groceries and other essentials in the new area allows people to gauge whether they can maintain their preferred standard of living.
If you're in pursuit of an economical living environment, Melrose may not fit the bill, as it ranks among the most expensive places to reside in the United States. Just a minority of regions exhibit a cost of living that is more than 20% higher than the national average, and, unfortunately, Melrose falls within this bracket.
When it comes to the cost of living in Melrose, housing costs are a real heavyweight, often hogging a significant chunk of your earnings. Sadly, in this area, housing expenses for both buying and renting were 186.9% more expensive compared to your average city. That means you'll be shelling out more for homes, rents, mortgage rates and insurance.
Groceries are getting more expensive by the day and the cost of groceries makes up 13% of the overall cost of living index. In the past two years, prices have shot up by over 10%! Unfortunately, in Melrose, it's the same story – grocery costs are 10.6% higher than what people pay across the country.
The real experts on a city are its residents. That's why we reached out to 7 locals to get their views on the cost of living in Melrose. We surveyed the residents and asked them if they felt like prices were affordable or out of reach. The results were as follows. 0% found it budget-friendly with decreasing prices, while 100% said it's simply not affordable as prices have continued to rise.
Is Melrose an affordable place to live? That's a valid question to ask when you're thinking about moving to a new city. After all, how much it costs to live somewhere can be a huge factor in your decision. Affordability can be broken down into 3 common categories. The cost of living index (we talked about it earlier), housing expenses and income levels all play a big role in figuring out if a place is affordable. For instance, in Melrose, the median home price is 236.5% higher than what most folks pay across the country, and monthly rent prices are 71.1% higher than the usual rates. Income levels in Melrose come in at $173,409, which is 113.2% higher than the national average.
Housing: When everyone's vying for homes in popular areas, it drives up property prices and rents, making the overall cost of living surge. On the flip side, in less sought-after locales, where housing demand is low, prices tend to dip, resulting in a more economical cost of living. In Melrose, the housing index comes in at 186.9% higher than the national average.
Transportation: When public transportation options are limited or non-existent, residents frequently resort to vehicle ownership, which can significantly contribute to the overall cost of living. Monthly financial obligations encompass fuel, insurance, regular maintenance and potentially lease or financing expenses. In Melrose, the transportation index is 14.3% higher than the national average.
Urbanization: Urban areas with extensive amenities and job opportunities tend to have a higher cost of living due to increased demand for services and relocation, resulting in higher home prices and higher rents. Less densely populated rural areas, or areas with less demand tend to have fewer amenities and slower job growth, which results in a lower cost of living.
The Melrose cost of living data displayed above uses a U.S. average baseline of 100 to provide a practical way to compare living expenses across cities. Housing estimates incorporate U.S. Census home price and rental data, while all other values are generated using AI-assisted models based on everyday expense expectations, regional pricing trends, climate, transportation patterns, and local economic conditions. These values are designed for directional city-to-city comparisons.
| Cost of living index | |
| Groceries index | |
| Health care index | |
| Housing index | |
| Transportation index | |
| Utilities index | |
| Lifestyle index | |
| Household index | |
| Educare index |
| Median Income | Per Year | Per Month | Max Budget (28% DTI) | Max Budget (36% DTI) |
| Owners | $209,080 | $17,423 | $4,878 | $6,273 |
| Renters | $82,395 | $6,866 | $1,922 | $2,472 |
| State | General Sales Tax | With Max Surtax |
| Massachusetts | 6.25% | 6.25% |
| State | Income Tax (Low) | Income Tax (High) |
| Massachusetts | 5% | 9% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Lowell, MA | 114,170 | 126 | 25.9% |
| Lynn, MA | 97,235 | 134 | 34.4% |
| Salem, MA | 44,881 | 135 | 35.3% |
| Chelsea, MA | 41,000 | 135 | 35.2% |
| Saugus, MA | 29,084 | 139 | 38.9% |
| Melrose, MA | 29,146 | 167 | 66.8% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Schererville, IN | 29,136 | 104 | 4.3% |
| Williamsport, PA | 29,130 | 90 | 10.2% |
| Greenville, TX | 29,176 | 91 | 9.2% |
| Oakleaf Plantation, FL | 29,179 | 116 | 15.5% |
| Burton, MI | 29,181 | 85 | 14.8% |
| Melrose, MA | 29,146 | 167 | 66.8% |
Here are the best places to live in Massachusetts
Check out the 10 safest cities in Massachusetts
Most Dangerous Cities In The US
These are the largest cities in Massachusetts