Melrose, Massachusetts
Melrose is a city of 29,650 people in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, founded in 1629.
Why visit Melrose
Townapedia lists 101 museums and landmarks, 66 parks and trails, 139 places to eat, 8 places to stay and 24 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Stone Zoo, Waitt's Mount, Abijah Thompson House and Albree-Hall-Lawrence House.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 84°F; January lows average 18°F, and about 64 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Melrose
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Melrose
Melrose is a city located in the Greater Boston metropolitan area in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. Its population as of the 2020 census was 29,817. It is a suburb located approximately seven miles north of Boston. It is situated in the center of the triangle created by Interstates 93, 95 and U.S.
From the Wikipedia article Melrose, Massachusetts (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do24
12 more on the map.
Museums and landmarks101
Abijah Thompson House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.1 mi
Building in Massachusetts, United States
Albree-Hall-Lawrence House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.8 mi
House in Medford, Massachusetts
Beebe Estate
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Building in Massachusetts, United States
Benjamin Hibbard Residence
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.5 mi
Building in Massachusetts, United States
Bigelow Block
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.7 mi
Building in Massachusetts, United States of America
C. Henry Kimball House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.9 mi
Chelsea, Massachusetts, listed on the NRHP in Suffolk County
C.H. Brown Cottage
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.7 mi
Building in Massachusetts, United States
Charles Brooks House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.1 mi
Building in Massachusetts, United States
Charles Buck House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.4 mi
Building in Massachusetts, United States
Charles Gill House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.3 mi
Building in Massachusetts, United States
Charles Wood House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.8 mi
Building in Massachusetts, United States
Clara Buswell House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.5 mi
Building in Massachusetts, United States
89 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds66
54 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes139
Bikeeny caffe
Cafe · Cake, Sandwich, Coffee Shop · 2.0 mi
Operates during the morning and early afternoon, but same physical location as BingeBowl
62 Summer Street, Malden
Mo-Fr 07:00-14:00; Sa-Su 07:30-14:00
BingeBowl
Cafe · Bowl, Moldovan · 2.0 mi
Operates during the late afternoon and early evening, but same physical location as Bikeeny caffe
62 Summer Street, Malden
Mo-Su 16:00-21:00
3 Amigos Bar & Grill
Restaurant · Mexican · 2.1 mi
375 Main Street, Malden
Su-Th 11:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-01:00
621 Tavern & Grille
Restaurant · Grill · 1.8 mi
621 Broadway, Malden
Mo-Sa 11:00-25:00; Su 12:00-24:00
Aama Lama
Restaurant · Indian, International · 1.9 mi
519 Main Street, Malden
Su-Mo, We 11:00-22:00; Th-Sa 11:00-22:00
All Seasons Table
Restaurant · Asian, Chinese · 2.1 mi
64 Pleasant Street, Malden
Su-Th 12:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 12:00-23:00
Dairy Delight
Restaurant · Ice Cream · 1.6 mi
766 Main Street, Malden
Apr-Oct Su-Th 11:30-21:00; Fr-Sa 11:30-22:00
District Kitchen
Restaurant · Fusion, Asian, Chinese · 2.1 mi
2 Florence Street, Malden
Su-Th 11:30-22:00; Fr-Sa 11:30-23:00
Exhange Street Bistro
Diner · American · 2.1 mi
67 Exchange Street, Malden
Tu 11:30-22:00; We-Th 11:30-23:00; Fr-Sa 11:30-24:00; Su 11:00-21:00
127 more on the map.
History
Melrose was originally called "Ponde Fielde" for its abundance of ponds and streams or "Mystic Side" because of its location in a valley north of the Mystic River. The area was first explored by Richard and Ralph Sprague in 1628 and became part of Charlestown in 1633 along with a large area of land encompassing most of the surrounding communities.
In 1649, the neighborhood of Charlestown known as Malden was incorporated as a separate town; the new town of Malden included most of present-day Melrose (then called North Malden) within its borders. North Malden largely remained a lightly populated farming community. By 1845, the Boston and Maine Railroad had built three stops (now the commuter rail stations of Wyoming Hill, Melrose/Cedar Park, and Melrose Highlands). Boston workers in search of a country atmosphere moved to the area and began commuting to work. The population of North Malden began growing, and in 1850 North Malden split from Malden proper and was incorporated as the town of Melrose. The town then annexed the highlands from neighboring Stoneham in 1853, creating the city's current borders. The name "Melrose" comes from the burgh of Melrose, Scotland. It was a reference to the Eildon hills of Melrose, Scotland, which the new town resembled. The name was suggested and advocated for by William Bogle, a Scotland native and longtime resident of North Malden.
From the History section of Melrose, Massachusetts on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay8
Churches and places of worship34
Trinity Episcopal Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
131 West Emerson Street, Melrose
Shopping24
Gas and EV charging23
Schools, colleges and libraries72
Healthcare10
Map of Melrose
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 38°F | 18°F | 3.9 in | 17.2 in |
| Feb | 40°F | 20°F | 3.6 in | 16.2 in |
| Mar | 48°F | 27°F | 4.9 in | 13.3 in |
| Apr | 60°F | 36°F | 4.3 in | 2.2 in |
| May | 70°F | 47°F | 3.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 78°F | 56°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 84°F | 63°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 82°F | 61°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 75°F | 53°F | 3.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 64°F | 42°F | 4.8 in | 0.1 in |
| Nov | 53°F | 32°F | 4.0 in | 1.7 in |
| Dec | 43°F | 24°F | 5.0 in | 12.8 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Reading Hcn (6 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Middlesex County has had 26 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2023-09-15: Hurricane Lee (Hurricane)
- 2020-03-27: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2018-07-19: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm (Snowstorm)
- 2015-04-13: Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2013-04-19: Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Boston Harbor Seaplane Base (Cape Air Seaplanes) (BNH) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 7 miles away.
- Malden 2 mi south, about 3 min by car
- Everett 3 mi south, about 6 min by car
- Chelsea 4 mi south, about 7 min by car
- Lynn 5 mi east, about 8 min by car
- Arlington 6 mi southwest, about 10 min by car
- Lynnfield 6 mi north, about 9 min by car
- Cambridge 6 mi southwest, about 10 min by car
- Belmont 8 mi southwest, about 12 min by car
- Burlington 8 mi northwest, about 13 min by car
- Boston 9 mi south, about 14 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Downtown Melrose, Grk1011/Stephen ( talk ), CC BY-SA 3.0
- South end of Melrose Cedar Park station platforms, June 2012, Pi.1415926535, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Five-car marker at Melrose Cedar Park station, June 2012, Pi.1415926535, CC BY-SA 3.0
- MBTA 1052 at Melrose Cedar Park station, June 2012, Pi.1415926535, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Melrose station postcard, 1912, Unknown author Unknown author, Public domain
- Inbound train arriving at Melrose Cedar Park station, June 2012, Pi.1415926535, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Grade crossing of West Wyoming Avenue, Melrose, October 2026, Pi.1415926535, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Shelters at Melrose Cedar Park station, June 2012, Pi.1415926535, CC BY-SA 3.0
- MBTA route 106 bus laying over in Melrose, June 2017, Pi.1415926535, CC BY-SA 3.0
- MelroseMA TrinityEpiscopalChurch, User:Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0
- StonehamMA BenjaminHibbardResidence, User:Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0
- MedfordMA PostOffice, User:Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0
- MiddlesexFells SpotPond, User:Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0
- C Henry Kimball House Chelsea MA 01, Jameslwoodward, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Boston and Maine Railroad Depot, Stoneham MA, John Phelan, CC BY 3.0
- StonehamMA SamuelChamberlainHouse, User:Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Unitarian Universalist Church and Parsonage, Medford MA, John Phelan, CC BY 3.0
- WinchesterMA AbijahThompsonHouse, User:Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0
- StonehamMA FirstBaptistChurch, User:Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0
- StonehamMA PadillaBeardHouse, User:Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0
- WakefieldMA 54SpringStreet, User:Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0
- StonehamMA HouseAt114MarbleStreet, User:Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0
- MedfordMA OldHighSchool, User:Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0
- StonehamMA SidneyAHillHouse, User:Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0
- John Wade House, Medford MA, John Phelan, CC BY 3.0
- Enoch Fuller House, Stoneham MA, John Phelan, CC BY 3.0
- StonehamMA JohnBottumeHouse, User:Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0
- StonehamMA WoodHouse, User:Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0
- WakefieldMA 118GreenwoodStreet, User:Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0
- RevereMA CityHall, User:Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0
- SpotPondBrookFootBridge, User:Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0
- StonehamMA PublicLibrary, User:Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0
- WinchesterMA MarshallSymmesHouse, User:Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Warren IMG 0048 1 (8109829322), ElizabethForMA, CC BY 2.0
- The Gazebo at Ell Pond Park, Elizabeth B. Thomsen, CC BY-SA 4.0
- USA 003 Diesel on Boston & Maine local, Brooksbank, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Wyoming Hill MBTA overexposed, Pi.1415926535, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Wyoming Hill MBTA looking south, Pi.1415926535, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Wyoming Hill MBTA panorama, Pi.1415926535, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Mini-high platform construction at Wyoming Hill station (2), October 2026, Pi.1415926535, CC BY-SA 4.0
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