Rank
193
C+
Malden
6 schools · 1 high school · 5 elementary schools · Malden
Malden is a diverse, urban community located directly north of Boston along the Mystic River. The town is a historic industrial center that has evolved into a vibrant residential area with significant immigrant populations and a strong sense of community. With an assessed single-family home value around $434,000, Malden offers more affordable housing than many nearby suburbs while maintaining good access to Boston employment and transit. The Malden Public School District serves this densely populated area with five elementary schools and Malden High School, which serves as the community's sole secondary institution.
Avg MCAS ELA
33.7%
#262 of 326
Avg MCAS Math
34.5%
#234 of 326
Avg SAT
1,060
#228 of 290
Attendance
92%
#247 of 328
Graduation Rate
80.6%
#267 of 288
AP Pass Rate
75.4%
#126 of 278
Per-Pupil Spending
$21,528
#171 of 325
Avg Teacher Salary
$106,848
#44 of 325
MCAS Performance by Grade
| Grade | ELA M+E% | Math M+E% | Sci M+E% | Avg Score | Students |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 31% | 33% | — | 489 | 475 |
| Grade 4 | 35% | 37% | — | 490 | 444 |
| Grade 5 | 23% | 26% | 35% | 486 | 422 |
| Grade 6 | 38% | 38% | — | 492 | 458 |
| Grade 7 | 39% | 36% | — | 492 | 431 |
| Grade 8 | 40% | 30% | 28% | 490 | 464 |
| Grade 10 | 39% | 30% | 41% | 491 | 378 |
| HS Science | — | — | 35% | 490 | 355 |
Showing 2025 data
Student Demographics
White: 21.3%
Asian: 19.4%
Hispanic: 31.8%
Black: 22.1%
Multi-Race: 4.4%
Am. Indian: 0.8%
Pac. Islander: 0.1%
Female: 48.1%Male: 51.8%Non-binary: 0.1%
High Schools in Malden
Rank
Grade
School
SAT
MCAS ELA
MCAS Math
AP
Grad
198
C+
Malden High
SAT
1,060
ELA
40%
Math
31%
Grad
80.6%
198
C+
Malden High
1,060
40%
31%
75.4%
80.6%
Elementary Schools in Malden
Rank
Grade
School
MCAS ELA
MCAS Math
Attend.
Class Size
359
B
Forestdale
ELA
45%
Math
45%
Attend.
93.9%
Class
20
359
B
Forestdale
45%
45%
93.9%
20
416
B-
Beebe
ELA
40%
Math
39%
Attend.
95.3%
Class
20
416
B-
Beebe
40%
39%
95.3%
20
557
C+
Ferryway
ELA
31%
Math
33%
Attend.
94.5%
Class
18
557
C+
Ferryway
31%
33%
94.5%
18
558
C+
Linden
ELA
32%
Math
33%
Attend.
93.5%
Class
21
558
C+
Linden
32%
33%
93.5%
21
696
C
Salemwood
ELA
14%
Math
26%
Attend.
93.4%
Class
19
696
C
Salemwood
14%
26%
93.4%
19
District Operations
Attendance
#247 of 328Attendance Rate92%
Avg Days Absent13
Chronically Absent (10%+)25.8%
Chronically Absent (20%+)9.1%
Per-Pupil Expenditure
#171 of 325In-District Per Pupil$20,346
Total Per Pupil$21,528
Total FTE Students7,014
Teacher Salaries
#44 of 325Average Salary$106,848
Teacher FTE Count463
Salary vs. Town Income3.0x(above town avg)
Teacher salary is 3.0x the town's per capita income ($35,105). Teachers earn well above the community per capita income. The MA median ratio is about 1.9x.
Class Size & Populations
#274 of 327Avg Class Size19
English Learners31.2%
Students w/ Disabilities18.8%
Total Students6,493
Staffing & Retention
#220 of 327Teacher Retention85.1%
Principal Retention100%
Total Teachers482
Attendance: 2024-2025 · Expenditure: 2024 · Salaries: 2023-2024 · Class Size: 2024-2025 · Staffing: 2025
Town Data
Malden
Avg Assessed Value
$434,420
#189 of 235
Avg Tax Bill
$4,952
Income Per Capita
$35,105
#199 of 235
Tax Bill Rank
#286
of 341 towns
Avg Assessed Value is the mean assessed value of single-family homes only (MA property class 101 — excludes condos, multi-family, and apartments). MA law requires assessment at 100% of fair market value. Income Per Capita is total town income divided by population, derived from MA state income tax returns (not Census surveys). It includes wages, investment income, and capital gains, so wealthy towns can have very high figures. The MA median is about $48K. Tax bill rank orders towns by average single-family tax bill, highest to lowest.
Tax & Bond Details
Residential Tax Rate1.14%
Tax as % of Income14.11%(typical)
Bond RatingAA(very good)
Tax rate is the effective residential rate (tax bill ÷ assessed value). Tax as % of income measures how much of residents’ income goes to property taxes. The MA median is about 14%; below 10% is low (wealthier towns with high incomes relative to home values), above 16% is above average. Bond rating reflects the town’s creditworthiness for borrowing. AAA is the highest possible rating (strong fiscal management), meaning the town can borrow at the lowest interest rates. AA+ is excellent, AA is very good.
New Growth
$85.2M+1.19% levy growth(typical)
Residential$23.3M
Commercial/Industrial$61.9M
Residential Share19.55%(diverse)
New growth measures new taxable value from construction and development (not rising home prices). In Massachusetts, Proposition 2\u00BD limits annual property tax increases to 2.5% of the prior year\u2019s levy. New growth revenue is automatically added on top of this 2.5% base increase \u2014 it does not require a vote. This town’s total levy growth is about 3.7% (2.5% base + 1.19% from new growth). The MA median is about 1.2%; above 1.5% is strong, below 0.8% signals limited development. The residential share (19.55%) shows how much comes from homes vs. commercial/industrial. When most growth is residential, homeowners carry more of the tax burden. More commercial/industrial growth is generally better for homeowners because businesses share the cost.
Municipal Free Cash
$21.8M10.1% of operating budget
Free cash is the town's unencumbered surplus funds. 5-10% of budget is considered healthy. Operating budget: $217.0M.
Where Children Attend School
Local Public: 6,011(81.4%)
Vocational: 210(2.8%)
Charter: 664(9.0%)
Private: 353(4.8%)
Home School: 60(0.8%)
Total: 7,382