Living in Melrose
Melrose is a small city about seven miles north of Boston, bordered by Malden, Saugus, Stoneham and Wakefield. The land was once part of Charlestown and then Malden. It became its own town in 1850 and a city in 1900, and it took its name from Melrose, Scotland. Railroad stops built in the 1840s drew Boston commuters looking for a country setting, and that history still shapes the city: much of it grew up around its train stations.
Downtown Melrose is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is a walkable center with gas lamps, shops and a wide range of restaurants, and the public library is also on the National Register.
Homes you will find
- Victorian-era homes on older residential streets
- Single-family homes in a variety of styles across the city’s neighborhoods
- Two-family homes and condos, including options close to downtown and the train stations
Getting around
The MBTA Haverhill Line has three stops in Melrose: Wyoming Hill, Melrose/Cedar Park and Melrose Highlands, with trains to North Station in Boston. The Orange Line’s Oak Grove station sits just over the line in Malden, near the Melrose border. MBTA bus routes 131, 132 and 137 serve the city. The only highway inside Melrose is a short section of Route 99, but Route 1, I-93 and Route 128/I-95 are all a short drive away.
Parks, ponds and everyday life
Ell Pond, near the center of the city, is Melrose’s largest body of water, and Ell Pond Park is known for its restored Victorian gazebo. Mount Hood Memorial Park covers about 235 acres and includes a golf course. Pine Banks Park, which Melrose shares with Malden, and Sewall Woods add more green space, and the eastern edge of the Middlesex Fells Reservation reaches into the city. Melrose has about 26 neighborhood parks and playgrounds in all.
Community traditions include the Victorian Fair each September and the Melrose Symphony Orchestra, which gave its first concert in 1918. Melrose runs its own public school system, and families can contact Melrose Public Schools directly for school details.
Who Melrose suits
Melrose is a good fit for commuters who want a short train ride to North Station or easy access to the Orange Line, buyers who like older homes with character, and anyone who wants a walkable downtown with ponds, woods and parks close by.
Thinking about Melrose? Ask Luis about recent sales and what is on the market now, in English or Spanish.
