Residential tax rate
FY2026$11.47
per $1,000 of assessed value / year
Equivalent base rate 1.147%
Based on the municipal assessment. Exemptions, any CPA surcharge and other bill adjustments affect the final bill.
Official certified rates ↗
GREATER BOSTON · KELLY CUI
Melrose
Melrose has three Commuter Rail stations on the Haverhill Line, Wyoming Hill, Melrose/Cedar Park and Melrose Highlands, and the Orange Line terminal at Oak Grove sits just over the line in Malden.
HOME & LIVINGSCROLL TO EXPLORE ↓
Three Haverhill Line stations, the Orange Line at Oak Grove next door and the Fells.
North & northwest · COMMUNITY GUIDE
Three Haverhill Line stations, the Orange Line at Oak Grove next door and the Fells.
Melrose has three Commuter Rail stations on the Haverhill Line, Wyoming Hill, Melrose/Cedar Park and Melrose Highlands, and the Orange Line terminal at Oak Grove sits just over the line in Malden. Part of the Middlesex Fells Reservation borders the city. This guide covers condominiums and older single-family homes.
MELROSE · AT A GLANCE
Melrose at a glance
Population, housing and local identity.
- Population
- 29,597 July 1, 2025 estimate
- Median household income
- $133,953 2020–2024 · annual, in 2024 dollars
- Median owner-occupied home value
- $822,900 2020–2024 · Census housing value
- Median monthly gross rent
- $1,970 2020–2024 · gross rent per month
LOCAL IDENTITY
A familiar film setting
Melrose became a city in 1899. The Town and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice are among the productions filmed here.
- Municipality
- City of Melrose
- County / State
- Middlesex County, Massachusetts
- Land area
- 4.68 sq mi (2020)
- City incorporation
- 1899
Statistical definitions & official sources
Income is household income, not an individual salary. Home value is a Census estimate for owner-occupied housing, not a current sale-price median. Gross rent includes contract rent and applicable utility and fuel costs. These citywide statistics are not quotes for a specific home.
PROPERTY TAX & EXEMPTIONS
Property tax, clearly explained
Melrose · Latest certified rate as of 2026-10-29.
Owner-occupied exemption
Not adopted
Residential Exemption
Melrose has not adopted the general residential exemption. Owning and occupying your home alone does not create this reduction.
Separate personal exemptions may still apply to eligible owners.
Official exemption information ↗Personal exemptions
Available · eligibility applies
Personal / Statutory Exemptions
Programs cover qualifying older residents, legally blind owners, certain veterans and eligible surviving spouses or minor children. Requirements differ by program.
Age, residency, ownership, income or assets may be considered. An individual owner is not automatically eligible; check the local application and deadline.
Eligibility & applications ↗Residential exemption adoption: Massachusetts DLS local-options report. Personal relief: the municipal assessor. Tax deferral postpones payment; it does not cancel the tax. DLS local options ↗
EXPLORE THE AREA
Map of Melrose
GETTING AROUND
Subway & rail in Melrose
STATIONS AT A GLANCE
Subway
Connections outside the areaOrange Line
Commuter Rail
Local stationsHaverhill Line
Selected boarding points, grouped by line. Not every stop is shown; this is not a scale map.
View the network maps ↗Nearby connection outside the area
Subway
Oak Grove on the Orange Line is at the Malden–Melrose edge, with its station address in Malden. Access from a Melrose home depends on its location and the route to the entrance.
MBTA · OFFICIAL MAP
Official MBTA Subway Map
The complete official rapid transit map, including key bus routes. Open the full-size map or PDF to read station names.
© MBTA · 2026-06-14 · Official network map. MBTA maps ↗
Stations serving the area
Commuter Rail
Wyoming Hill, Melrose/Cedar Park and Melrose Highlands are Melrose’s Haverhill Line stations toward North Station. Read the timetable for the station you will use.
MBTA · OFFICIAL MAP
Official MBTA Commuter Rail Map
The complete official Commuter Rail network, with stations and Boston terminals. Use the route pages for current schedules and service changes.
© MBTA · 2025-03-24 · Official network map. MBTA maps ↗
Compare the nearest usable Commuter Rail departure with the full journey via Oak Grove, especially for evenings and weekends.
Selected stations are shown above. Open the MBTA line or station page for the full route, current timetable, accessibility and parking. Service patterns can change.
SCHOOLS & EDUCATION
Explore schools in Melrose
Compare schools listed in Melrose, including public charter schools where present. Confirm school assignment and eligibility for the exact home address, grade and school year.
CHECK THE EXACT ADDRESS
Melrose Public Schools
Use the district’s K–12 registration resource to confirm address assignment and current-year arrangements.
School locations in Melrose
Select a school or a map pin to see its address and school details.
School names are shown on the map. Zoom in or filter by level to separate nearby labels. Multi-level schools appear in each relevant filter.
Loading map. School addresses and official links are also available in the cards below.
Locations, not attendance boundaries. One contact or main campus location is shown per school; some schools have additional campuses. Charter schools follow their own enrollment process. MassGIS ↗
Public school
Early Childhood Center ↗
Early Childhood Center is a public school in Melrose, serving pre-k – k.
DESE school performance2026 · Accountability percentile
—Percentile 1–99No published 2026 MCAS results for these tested grades.
A percentile is a relative standing, not a score out of 100. — means no published value.
16 Franklin Street, Melrose MA 02176 ↗
School details & official resources
- School district
- Melrose
- School type
- Public school
- Grades in directory
- Pre-K – K
- Principal
- Andrea Lacau
- Office phone
- 781-979-2260
- School / district site
- Visit official website ↗
- Students
- 247 · 2025-26
- Students / teacher
- 14 : 1 · 2025-26
Enrollment and student/teacher ratio are from the DESE 2025-26 profile. The ratio describes students per teacher, not students per classroom. DESE accountability percentiles compare schools serving similar grades and are not scores out of 100. A dash means no figure is reported.
Public school
Herbert Clark Hoover ↗
Herbert Clark Hoover is a public school in Melrose, serving k – grade 5.
DESE school performance2026 · Accountability percentile
80Percentile 1–99MCAS 2026 · Tested grades 3–8
English language arts59%Meeting or exceeding expectations
Mathematics65%Meeting or exceeding expectations
A percentile is a relative standing, not a score out of 100. — means no published value.
37 Glendower Road, Melrose MA 02176 ↗
School details & official resources
- School district
- Melrose
- School type
- Public school
- Grades in directory
- K – Grade 5
- Principal
- Mitzi Galante
- Office phone
- 781-979-2180
- School / district site
- Visit official website ↗
- Students
- 266 · 2025-26
- Students / teacher
- 13.7 : 1 · 2025-26
Student growth · MCAS 2026
Average Student Growth Percentile (SGP) compares progress with students who had similar prior test results. It is not the percentage meeting standards.
Tested grades 3–8ELA 49 · Math 49
DESE MCAS achievement & growth ↗Enrollment and student/teacher ratio are from the DESE 2025-26 profile. The ratio describes students per teacher, not students per classroom. DESE accountability percentiles compare schools serving similar grades and are not scores out of 100. A dash means no figure is reported.
Public school
Horace Mann ↗
Horace Mann is a public school in Melrose, serving k – grade 5.
DESE school performance2026 · Accountability percentile
99Percentile 1–99MCAS 2026 · Tested grades 3–8
English language arts78%Meeting or exceeding expectations
Mathematics82%Meeting or exceeding expectations
A percentile is a relative standing, not a score out of 100. — means no published value.
40 Damon Avenue, Melrose MA 02176 ↗
School details & official resources
- School district
- Melrose
- School type
- Public school
- Grades in directory
- K – Grade 5
- Principal
- Milissa A Churchill
- Office phone
- 781-979-2190
- School / district site
- Visit official website ↗
- Students
- 258 · 2025-26
- Students / teacher
- 14.8 : 1 · 2025-26
Student growth · MCAS 2026
Average Student Growth Percentile (SGP) compares progress with students who had similar prior test results. It is not the percentage meeting standards.
Tested grades 3–8ELA 61 · Math 62
DESE MCAS achievement & growth ↗Enrollment and student/teacher ratio are from the DESE 2025-26 profile. The ratio describes students per teacher, not students per classroom. DESE accountability percentiles compare schools serving similar grades and are not scores out of 100. A dash means no figure is reported.
Public school
Lincoln ↗
Lincoln is a public school in Melrose, serving k – grade 5.
DESE school performance2026 · Accountability percentile
79Percentile 1–99MCAS 2026 · Tested grades 3–8
English language arts63%Meeting or exceeding expectations
Mathematics61%Meeting or exceeding expectations
A percentile is a relative standing, not a score out of 100. — means no published value.
80 West Wyoming Avenue, Melrose MA 02176 ↗
School details & official resources
- School district
- Melrose
- School type
- Public school
- Grades in directory
- K – Grade 5
- Principal
- Jessica Patti
- Office phone
- 781-979-2250
- School / district site
- Visit official website ↗
- Students
- 387 · 2025-26
- Students / teacher
- 13 : 1 · 2025-26
Student growth · MCAS 2026
Average Student Growth Percentile (SGP) compares progress with students who had similar prior test results. It is not the percentage meeting standards.
Tested grades 3–8ELA 64 · Math 55
DESE MCAS achievement & growth ↗Enrollment and student/teacher ratio are from the DESE 2025-26 profile. The ratio describes students per teacher, not students per classroom. DESE accountability percentiles compare schools serving similar grades and are not scores out of 100. A dash means no figure is reported.
Public school
Melrose High ↗
Melrose High is a public school in Melrose, serving grade 9 – grade 12.
DESE school performance2026 · Accountability percentile
86Percentile 1–99MCAS 2026 · Grade 10
English language arts78%Meeting or exceeding expectations
Mathematics67%Meeting or exceeding expectations
A percentile is a relative standing, not a score out of 100. — means no published value.
360 Lynn Fells Parkway, Melrose MA 02176 ↗
School details & official resources
- School district
- Melrose
- School type
- Public school
- Grades in directory
- Grade 9 – Grade 12
- Principal
- Jason Merrill
- Office phone
- 781-979-2200
- School / district site
- Visit official website ↗
- Students
- 1,004 · 2025-26
- Students / teacher
- 12.8 : 1 · 2025-26
Student growth · MCAS 2026
Average Student Growth Percentile (SGP) compares progress with students who had similar prior test results. It is not the percentage meeting standards.
Grade 10ELA 71 · Math 52
Four-year graduation rate
98.8%Class of 2025 · All studentsShare of the cohort graduating within four years. Small cohorts and unavailable results may not be reported.
DESE graduation report ↗Enrollment and student/teacher ratio are from the DESE 2025-26 profile. The ratio describes students per teacher, not students per classroom. DESE accountability percentiles compare schools serving similar grades and are not scores out of 100. A dash means no figure is reported.
Public school
Melrose Middle ↗
Melrose Middle is a public school in Melrose, serving grade 6 – grade 8.
DESE school performance2026 · Accountability percentile
55Percentile 1–99MCAS 2026 · Tested grades 3–8
English language arts58%Meeting or exceeding expectations
Mathematics51%Meeting or exceeding expectations
A percentile is a relative standing, not a score out of 100. — means no published value.
350 Lynn Fells Parkway, Melrose MA 02176 ↗
School details & official resources
- School district
- Melrose
- School type
- Public school
- Grades in directory
- Grade 6 – Grade 8
- Principal
- Bryan Michael Corrigan, Jason Merrill
- Office phone
- 781-979-2100
- School / district site
- Visit official website ↗
- Students
- 830 · 2025-26
- Students / teacher
- 13.3 : 1 · 2025-26
Student growth · MCAS 2026
Average Student Growth Percentile (SGP) compares progress with students who had similar prior test results. It is not the percentage meeting standards.
Tested grades 3–8ELA 48 · Math 40
DESE MCAS achievement & growth ↗Enrollment and student/teacher ratio are from the DESE 2025-26 profile. The ratio describes students per teacher, not students per classroom. DESE accountability percentiles compare schools serving similar grades and are not scores out of 100. A dash means no figure is reported.
Public school
Roosevelt ↗
Roosevelt is a public school in Melrose, serving k – grade 5.
DESE school performance2026 · Accountability percentile
91Percentile 1–99MCAS 2026 · Tested grades 3–8
English language arts71%Meeting or exceeding expectations
Mathematics71%Meeting or exceeding expectations
A percentile is a relative standing, not a score out of 100. — means no published value.
253 Vinton Street, Melrose MA 02176 ↗
School details & official resources
- School district
- Melrose
- School type
- Public school
- Grades in directory
- K – Grade 5
- Principal
- Venancia Cruz
- Office phone
- 781-979-2270
- School / district site
- Visit official website ↗
- Students
- 366 · 2025-26
- Students / teacher
- 15.2 : 1 · 2025-26
Student growth · MCAS 2026
Average Student Growth Percentile (SGP) compares progress with students who had similar prior test results. It is not the percentage meeting standards.
Tested grades 3–8ELA 56 · Math 55
DESE MCAS achievement & growth ↗Enrollment and student/teacher ratio are from the DESE 2025-26 profile. The ratio describes students per teacher, not students per classroom. DESE accountability percentiles compare schools serving similar grades and are not scores out of 100. A dash means no figure is reported.
Public school
Winthrop ↗
Winthrop is a public school in Melrose, serving k – grade 5.
DESE school performance2026 · Accountability percentile
94Percentile 1–99MCAS 2026 · Tested grades 3–8
English language arts75%Meeting or exceeding expectations
Mathematics76%Meeting or exceeding expectations
A percentile is a relative standing, not a score out of 100. — means no published value.
162 First Street, Melrose MA 02176 ↗
School details & official resources
- School district
- Melrose
- School type
- Public school
- Grades in directory
- K – Grade 5
- Principal
- Michael Tracy
- Office phone
- 781-979-2280
- School / district site
- Visit official website ↗
- Students
- 372 · 2025-26
- Students / teacher
- 15.8 : 1 · 2025-26
Student growth · MCAS 2026
Average Student Growth Percentile (SGP) compares progress with students who had similar prior test results. It is not the percentage meeting standards.
Tested grades 3–8ELA 57 · Math 58
DESE MCAS achievement & growth ↗Enrollment and student/teacher ratio are from the DESE 2025-26 profile. The ratio describes students per teacher, not students per classroom. DESE accountability percentiles compare schools serving similar grades and are not scores out of 100. A dash means no figure is reported.
No schools match these filters. Try another name or reset the filters.
Understand the numbers
Enrollment and student/teacher ratios use the stated school year. The 2026 DESE percentile runs from 1 to 99 and is not a score out of 100. A dash means the figure was not reported.
More school resources
GreatSchools and Niche publish their own ratings and reviews. Open their sites to search a school; those ratings are separate from DESE data.
School contacts and operating status: DESE school profiles, October 29, 2026. Enrollment and ratios: the year shown on each card. Accountability: DESE 2026, October 20 release. Addresses are official contact addresses; some schools have more than one campus. MassGIS (Bureau of Geographic Information), Commonwealth of Massachusetts EOTSS.
LIVING IN MELROSE
Homes & everyday life
Look closer at local homes, daily routines and ownership responsibilities.
01
Three stations, Oak Grove and the Fells
Melrose has three stations on the Haverhill Line to North Station: Wyoming Hill, Melrose/Cedar Park and Melrose Highlands. Oak Grove, the northern terminal of the Orange Line and also a Haverhill Line stop, is just over the line in Malden. Routes 131 and 137 run to Malden Center, and route 106 runs to Wellington on the Orange Line. The Middlesex Fells Reservation, a 2,575-acre state reservation, borders the city.
Work out whether you would use one of the three Commuter Rail stations, Oak Grove or a bus, and time the whole trip from each candidate address at the hour you would travel. Commuter Rail runs less often than the Orange Line, so check the schedule for your hour before you rely on it.
02
Condominiums and older single-family homes
For a condominium in a newer building, ask what remains under the developer's warranty and how reserves are being funded. For a condominium, review the 6(d) certificate, budget and reserves, what the fee covers, parking and storage, and the rules on leasing and pets.
For an older single-family home, list the age and condition of the roof, heating, electrical service, plumbing and windows, and ask for permits for past renovations and finished basements. Under the Massachusetts Lead Law (G.L. c.111, §197), when a child under six lives in a home built before 1978 that contains dangerous levels of lead, the owner must have it deleaded or brought into interim control; a new owner in that situation generally has 90 days after taking title. Ask the seller for any lead inspection records and letters of compliance. If you are also comparing two-family houses, review the leases, rents and security deposits and each unit's systems.
03
Near the Fells, flood maps and schools
For a home near the Fells or near a pond, brook or wetland, ask whether past work on the property needed review by the City's Conservation Commission, and check the lot lines and any easements on the survey. Look up the exact address on FEMA's flood maps. If a home is in a Special Flood Hazard Area and you finance it with a federally regulated or federally backed loan, the lender will generally require flood insurance, so get a quote before you settle the budget.
Public school assignment depends on the exact address. Confirm the assigned schools for any home you are considering directly with Melrose Public Schools, and use the state education department's (DESE) district profile for official enrollment and program information.
04
Tax and the cost of the house itself
Melrose's FY2026 residential rate is $11.47 per $1,000 of assessed value, or $1,147 a year for each $100,000 of assessment. Ask the assessor which personal exemptions might apply to you, and ask the seller for the most recent tax bill.
For a single-family home, budget for the building itself: roof, heating and cooling, windows and drainage. For a condominium, add the monthly fee and any planned assessments, and read the budget and reserve figures before you settle on a price. Check the assessor for the current fiscal year's rate before you budget.
ON YOUR NEXT VISIT
What to check in person.
- ↗ Walk or drive to a Haverhill Line station or Oak Grove
- ↗ Train times to North Station at your hour
- ↗ Developer warranty and reserves in a newer building
- ↗ Roof, heating, electrical and plumbing ages
- ↗ Conservation Commission history if near water
- ↗ Lead records for a pre-1978 home
PAST SALES
Closed sales in Melrose
All 3 published closed-sale records for Melrose, including seller and buyer representation. Each card identifies Kelly’s role and the closing date.
SoldVIEW PROPERTY ↗Melrose, MA
130 Tremont Street#205
2 beds•2 baths•1,273 sq ft
Kelly · Buyer representation · Jan 29, 2021
MLS PIN #72736391
SoldVIEW PROPERTY ↗Melrose, MA
130 Tremont St#403
2 beds•2 baths•1,374 sq ft
Kelly · Buyer representation · Jan 4, 2021
MLS PIN #72755865
SoldVIEW PROPERTY ↗Melrose, MA
187 Melrose Street
3 beds•2 baths•1,614 sq ft
Kelly · Buyer representation · Nov 25, 2019
MLS PIN #72578809
Sources for this guide
MBTA · Haverhill Line ↗MBTA · Orange Line ↗MBTA · Bus route 131 ↗MBTA · Bus route 137 ↗MBTA · Bus route 106 ↗Mass. DCR · Middlesex Fells planning unit ↗City of Melrose · Assessor ↗Mass. DESE · Melrose district profile ↗FEMA · Flood Map Service Center (search by address) ↗Mass. DPH · Property Transfer Lead Paint Notification ↗Mass. DLS · Tax rates by class, FY2026 ↗
Official sources as of 2026-10-29. Tax figures are base amounts before exemptions, any Community Preservation Act surcharge or other bill adjustments; ask for the property’s latest bill. Figures such as tax rates and fares change; confirm school assignment, permits, zoning and travel for the exact address and intended date.
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