Living in Melrose: rent, commute and grades

The Bronx · Updated October 2026

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Rent in Melrose

$1,214 a month

Type of homeA room in a 2-bedroom, shared by two

COverall

Grades compare NYC neighborhoods with each other. How the grades work.

A-Walkability
The average home has 4.9 of 5 everyday needs within a 10-minute walk (grocery store, restaurant, cafe, subway station, park) and about 350 places to eat or shop.
B+Food and shopping
Within a 10-minute walk of the average home: about 62 places to eat, 20 kinds of cuisine, 6.1 large grocery stores and 226 open storefronts.
B+Parks and green space
100% of residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park of an acre or more, with about 70 acres of parkland within 1 km and about 509 street trees within 300 m of the average home.

CCommunity
16% of households moved in since 2018, 2% are roommates sharing a home, 20% of residents are 22 to 34, and there are about 13 cafes and bars within a 10-minute walk of the average home.
C+Nightlife
About 10 bars, clubs and restaurants licensed to serve alcohol on site within a 10-minute walk of the average home.

FSafety
23.2 murders, robberies, felony assaults and burglaries were reported per 1,000 residents in 2025 (951 in all).
Residents: Sitting outside late on a summer night is unwise; gunshots and trouble are part of summer. Former resident, Mar 2025
City data and 4 resident threads on Reddit agree on this grade.
CQuiet
43 noise complaints to 311 per 1,000 residents in 2025, not counting helicopter complaints, and counting each address at most 12 days a year. That measures how often people complain, not how loud it is.
DBuilding upkeep
52.2 serious housing code violations (class B or C) were issued in 2025 per 100 rented homes, and there were 14 heat or hot water complaints per 100 rented homes.

SafetySitting outside late on a summer night is unwise; gunshots and trouble are part of summer. Former resident, Mar 2025
SafetyKeeping to yourself means few problems, but the area around 157th Street and Melrose Avenue is not safe. Former resident of 20 years, Jan 2024

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Melrose is safer than its reputation suggests.
Not a resident, Sep 2025
Much improved, with many buildings rehabbed or newly built, but still one of the rougher parts of the Bronx.
Not a resident, Sep 2025
The area near the Aldi feels normal and safe.
Not a resident, Apr 2025

Melrose is tough, but welcoming to people who mind their own business.
Not a resident, Oct 2025

There are a couple of good restaurants, with Porto Salvo and Minato standing out.
Not a resident, Oct 2025
Porto Salvo and Minato are very good, and the local West African food is excellent.
Not a resident, Sep 2025
An Aldi supermarket and a new YMCA with a pool are near 154th Street and Melrose Avenue.
Not a resident, Jan 2024

154th Street and Melrose Avenue is about a block from the busy Third Avenue shopping district.
Not a resident, Jan 2024

The area around 154th Street and Melrose Avenue is not quiet or peaceful.
Not a resident, Jan 2024
It can seem quiet in winter, but the streets get wild once summer comes.
Not a resident, Jan 2024

The newer housing lottery apartments in the area are usually pretty nice.
Not a resident, Apr 2025
The buildings around 154th Street and Melrose Avenue are old and somewhat run down.
Not a resident, Jan 2024

By subway or bus, arriving by 9:00 on a weekday:Under 30 min30 to 45 min45 to 60 minOver an hourMelrose

Residents: Close to Manhattan. Resident of 6 years, Jan 2024

Melrose is home to the Hub, where Third Avenue, Willis Avenue, Melrose Avenue and East 149th Street meet. It is one of the oldest commercial districts in the Bronx and still draws thousands of commuters and shoppers a day. Source
From the 1850s to World War I, Third Avenue was a mostly German community with breweries, stores, theaters and social institutions. The elevated railway built along Third Avenue in 1887 sped its growth as a shopping destination and linked it to Manhattan. Source
Melrose Avenue is the neighborhood's other shopping street: busy near the Hub, then lower-rise and mixed-use to the north, lined with fast casual restaurants, coffee shops, bodegas and professional offices. Source
Melrose's shops reflect a wide mix of cultures, from West African specialty stores to Oaxacan delis, a 2025 city study found. Source
After decades of disinvestment in the South Bronx, residents formed groups such as Nos Quedamos (We Stay) to reclaim vacant lots for community gardens and affordable housing. Source
Nos Quedamos, the neighborhood's community development group, manages multiple affordable housing developments in Melrose built under the Melrose Urban Renewal Plan, among them Sunflower Way, with 210 units. Source
Besides the subway, Melrose has its own Metro-North station, which links residents and commuters to the wider region. Source