Rents are 4% below what Melrose's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $3,031 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
January. Asking rents in Melrose usually run 2% below trend in January and 2% above it in June, about $121 a month apart at today's median. Based on 7 years of data.
Rent in Melrose is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in April 2018.
Rent in Melrose changed +3.7% over the year to September 2026. Across the 89 Massachusetts cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.8%.
Rent in Melrose is 33.5% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 4 months in a row, and rose in 8 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($133,953) is $3,349 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 3-bedroom ($3,300); a 4-bedroom is $3,630.
Chelsea, 4 miles away, rents for 13% less ($2,632/mo), about $4,800 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Melrose. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Melrose, MA is majority owner-occupied, has a large retiree population, has a median income above the national average, 62% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Melrose, MA has changed in 5 years
Rent in Melrose, MA has increased 38.8% since 2021, going from about $2,184 per month to roughly $3,031 today. Census figures show median household income at $133,953 today, compared with $125,229 five years earlier. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 31.8 percentage points, which means renters are spending a larger slice of each paycheck on housing than they did in 2021. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2021.
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At $3,031/mo, how Melrose rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Melrose rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Melrose. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Melrose
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Melrose is $3,031/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $2,190/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,740/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $2,310/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $3,300/mo.
At 27% of local median household income ($133,953/yr), Melrose ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 3.7% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does Melrose rent compare to other cities in Massachusetts?
At $3,031/mo, rent takes ~27% of Melrose's median household income ($133,953/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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