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Melrose in the South Bronx features dense residential blocks and improving commercial corridors along Third Avenue. Strong transit on the 2/5 trains connects to Manhattan.
Melrose in the South Bronx features dense residential blocks and improving commercial corridors along Third Avenue. Strong transit on the 2/5 trains connects to Manhattan.
Did you know?
The Hub, the commercial intersection at 149th Street and Third Avenue in Melrose, is the third busiest shopping district in New York City after Midtown and Downtown.
Who’s your neighbor?
Housing cost
$413 / sq ft
Commute
Weekday mornings · leaving 7:30–9:00
- FromMelrose
- ToNear Bryant Park
Family scores
Show 5 moreShow fewer
Trade-offs
None of its Family Fit scores ranks in the top 40% of NYC's residential neighborhoods.
To weigh
- Safety5/100
More reported crimes, traffic injuries or serious housing violations per resident
- Family-Friendly Vibe19/100
Fewer families with children than most
Each score compares it with NYC's other residential neighborhoods.
What these scores don't measure: how a block feels on foot, what's changing on it, and whether a particular school suits your child. Walk it at school drop-off time, and check the zoned school for the exact address before you sign a lease.
Your family’s read
How does Melrose fit your family?
An agentic read of this neighborhood — including safety and cost of living — tailored to your priorities, family size, budget, and commute.
Analyze for My FamilySchools & early education
Schools31 schools
Melrose runs a deep bench when it comes to schools — 35 of them, split between traditional public, charter, and a few private options. P.S./M.S. 029 Melrose covers the neighborhood's zoned elementary and middle needs, while charter options like Brilla Veritas Charter School and Creo College Preparatory Charter School add variety along Courtlandt Avenue. Hostos-Lincoln Academy of Science pulls students from beyond Melrose, which tells you something about its draw. The governance mix means families here have real choices to weigh — zoned, magnet, charter, and private each bring different setups to the table.
Browse all early-ed in this neighborhoodLiving here
Parks & Playgrounds7 places
Melrose packs a surprising number of playgrounds into its compact footprint — six in total, from Flynn Playground on the southern end to Abigail Playground near the elevated tracks. Grove Hill Playground and Captain Rivera Playground anchor the middle of the neighborhood, giving most blocks a short walk to somewhere for kids to run. The naming is charming too: Fountain Of Youth Playground and Melrose Playground both land with a wink.
6 playgrounds within a 10-min walk
Nearest large park: Yankee Stadium-Macombs Dam Park · ~24 min walk (0.9 mi)
Transportation39 stops
Melrose sits on a solid transit anchor with the 2 and 5 trains pulling into three stops — 3 Av-149 St, Jackson Av, and Prospect Av — putting midtown within reasonable commute range. The bus network threads the neighborhood thoroughly, with stops along 3rd Avenue, Melrose Avenue, and Westchester Avenue giving options when the train feels too far. It's not a transit desert, though the walk to the platform can stretch depending on which block you're on.
Restaurants65 places
Melrose delivers where it matters most — reliable, affordable eats without the frills. The stretch along East 149th Street is a fast-food corridor with multiple McDonald's, Burger King, KFC, and Kennedy Fried Chicken locations packed in tight, plus a couple of pizza spots for when you need a quick slice. Beyond the chains, there's solid representation from Caribbean joints like Golden Krust and Flava's, and a handful of Latin American kitchens doing hearty, budget-friendly plates. It's not a destination for date night, but forgrab-and-go and neighborhood diners, the density is real. The only real gap? Upscale options are essentially nonexistent here.
Groceries14 places
Melrose punches above its weight for groceries — there's a deep bench of options along 3rd Avenue and Courtlandt Avenue, with ALDI, Associated Supermarket, and a couple of Met Foodmarkets anchoring the bigger weekly shops. Smaller supermarkets and a few fish markets fill in the gaps, so grabbing fresh ingredients doesn't require a trek. For a low-income neighborhood, the affordability options are solid, and most families can cover the basics on foot.
Coffee Shops7 places
Dunkin' anchors this stretch in a big way — you've got locations clustering around 149th Street and a few more down Third Avenue, so caffeine is never far. The lone Starbucks on 149th near Third holds it down for the loyalists. It's grab-and-go territory mostly, not the linger-with-your-laptop scene, but that's the Melrose vibe. If you need coffee, you're covered.
Things to Do5 places
Melrose keeps a modest but well-rounded bench of kid-friendly options. There's a genuine martial arts presence here — a karate dojo that anchors the fitness side — plus a sports factory and an arts program that rounds out the enrichment picture. A couple of youth-focused services round things out, including employment programming that goes beyond the typical activity scene. It's not a packed playground of options, but families will find a solid little mix without having to travel far.
Daycare & informal care2 places
Melrose comes through with a solid roster of pre-K — ten sites spread across the neighborhood, most running through the public schools like P.S. 25, P.S. 157, and the bilingual program at P.S. 5. Private daycare options are thinner, just a couple of independent centers tucked around Morris Avenue and Saint Anns. For families counting on free universal pre-K, there's decent coverage across the zone. Morning drop-off logistics will depend on which building you land at — some share buildings with elementary programs, others are standalone.
Family Resources11 places
Melrose punches above its weight for families seeking free, accessible places to spend time outside. There's a solid roster of playgrounds — Flynn Playground on 3rd Avenue and Fountain Of Youth on Tinton Avenue are local favorites — plus the Woodstock Library on East 160th Street, which offers a quiet refuge with programs and computers. The Harvest Home farm stand at St. Mary's Park runs seasonally and draws a crowd. It's a low-income, renter-heavy neighborhood where these public anchors genuinely matter.
Healthcare32 places
Lincoln Medical & Mental Health Center anchors the Melrose healthcare landscape, a full-service municipal hospital that's been serving the South Bronx for decades. Beyond that, there's a deep bench of community health centers and specialty clinics — AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Callen-Lorde, Planned Parenthood, and several dialysis and imaging centers cluster along the major corridors. Pediatric and dental care is thinner, with just a couple of options each, though urgent care coverage is solid with CityMD, AFC, and Medrite all within reach on East 149th.
Compare with nearby neighborhoods
Best schools in Melrose
Schools in Melrose
31
- Academy of Public Relations
- Alfred E. Smith Career and Technical Education High School
- Brilla Veritas Charter School
- Bronx Design and Construction Academy
- Bronx Haven High School
- CITY-PRO GROUP - BRONX
- Creo College Preparatory Charter School
- Hostos-Lincoln Academy of Science
- I.S. 584
- IMMACULATE CONCEPTION SCHOOL
- Jill Chaifetz Transfer High School
- Leaders of Excellence, Advocacy and Discovery
- Mott Haven Village Preparatory High School
- NYC Charter High School for Architecture, Engineering and Construction Industries (AECI)
- P.S. 001 Courtlandt School
- P.S. 025 Bilingual School
- P.S. 157 Grove Hill
- P.S. 161 Juan Ponce De Leon School
- P.S. 5 Port Morris
- P.S. X017
- P.S. X643
- P.S./M.S. 029 Melrose School
- Passages Academy
- South Bronx Academy for Applied Media
- South Bronx Early College Academy Charter School
- ST ANSELM SCHOOL
- Storefront Academy Charter School
- University Heights Secondary School
- University Prep Charter High School
- Urban Dove Team Charter School II
- Zeta Charter Schools - South Bronx
Early education in Melrose
16
- Blended Family,LLC
- IMMACULATE CONCEPTION SCHOOL
- Leaders of Excellence, Advocacy and Discovery
- LUMINOUS EARLY CHILD CARE CENTER MORRIS
- P.S. 001 Courtlandt School
- P.S. 025 Bilingual School
- P.S. 157 Grove Hill
- P.S. 161 Juan Ponce De Leon School
- P.S. 5 Port Morris
- P.S. X017
- P.S./M.S. 029 Melrose School
- Passages Academy
- Saint Anselm School
- ST ANSELM SCHOOL
- Sunshine Lc of Jackson Ave LLC
- Zeta Charter Schools - South Bronx
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is Melrose a good neighborhood for families?
- Melrose scores 36/100 for families on Motley — toward the lower end citywide. The Family Fit score blends six parts: how many families live there, schools, affordability, weekday-morning transit time to job centers, safety, and air quality and child health.
- What are the pros and cons of Melrose for families?
- None of Melrose's Family Fit scores ranks in the top 40% of NYC's residential neighborhoods. What to weigh: more reported crimes, traffic injuries or serious housing violations per resident, and fewer families with children than most. Each score compares it with NYC's other residential neighborhoods. They don't measure how a block feels on foot or whether a particular school suits your child, so walk it before you decide.
- Is Melrose safe?
- Melrose scores 5/100 on safety — toward the lower end citywide. We build the score from NYPD crime complaints, pedestrian and cyclist injuries, and serious (Class C) housing violations, each counted per 1,000 residents.
- How are the schools in Melrose?
- Melrose has 31 schools mapped inside its boundary and scores 55/100 for schools — near the middle of the pack citywide.
- How do middle and high school admissions work from Melrose?
- Middle school: families in Melrose apply in 5th grade through the citywide middle school application. District 7's 31 middle school programs admit by method: 14 unscreened, 13 charter lottery and 4 screened. High school: one citywide application in 8th grade lets a family rank programs anywhere in the city, and the eight specialized high schools admit on the SHSAT alone.
- Is Melrose affordable?
- Melrose scores 43/100 for affordability on Motley — mid-range on cost for the city.
- Which borough is Melrose in?
- Melrose is a neighborhood in Bronx, New York City.
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