City Edition
Middlesex County
Malden, Massachusetts
Malden packs more than 66,000 people into five square miles just north of Boston, which makes it one of the densest and most diverse cities in Massachusetts. Its high school was once ranked the most diverse in the state. This guide shows you who runs Malden, who represents you in Boston and Washington, and exactly how you can take part.
The Malden Civics Handbook
A pocket guide to how Malden governs itself: the mayor, the council, the schools, and the people who represent you on Beacon Hill and in Washington. Built for residents, students, and anyone who wants a way in.
Malden at a Glance
Sources: Massachusetts DESE, district profile · US Census Bureau (data.census.gov).
- County: Middlesex. A compact 5.0 square mile city about five miles north of downtown Boston, among the most densely populated in the state.
- Government: strong mayor and an eleven-member council. Mayor Gary Christenson has served since 2012 and also chairs the School Committee.
- Schools: Malden Public Schools, about 6,072 students across seven schools, including one of the most diverse high schools in Massachusetts.
How Malden’s Government Works
The Mayor
Malden’s elected executive, serving a four-year term. The mayor proposes the budget, appoints department heads, can veto ordinances, and chairs the School Committee.
City Council
The eleven-member legislative branch, eight ward councillors and three at-large. It sets policy, adopts ordinances, and approves the budget and the mayor’s appointments.
School Committee
Nine members, the mayor as chair plus one elected from each ward, overseeing the Malden Public Schools.
- The mayor proposes a budget or an ordinance to the City Council.
- The council digs in. It reviews the proposal in committee, holds public hearings, and votes.
- The mayor signs or vetoes. A veto can be overridden by the council.
- You weigh in. Show up at the weekly Tuesday meetings, call your councillors, and vote in the odd-year municipal elections.
Explore the Malden Edition
- Mayor’s OfficeThe elected executive and the administration of the city.
- City CouncilYour eight ward and three at-large councillors.
- School CommitteeThe superintendent and the elected committee.
- DepartmentsWho to call for city services.
- Boards & CommissionsVolunteer bodies that shape city decisions.
- LegislatorsYour voices on Beacon Hill and in Congress.
- Malden HistoryFrom “Mistick Side” to the birthplace of Converse sneakers.
- DemographicsA snapshot of who lives in Malden.
- Non-ProfitsOrganizations serving Malden residents.
- Student DataEnrollment and outcomes in the public schools.
Civic Calendar
- City Council: meets every Tuesday at the Herbert Jackson Council Chamber, 215 Pleasant Street.
- School Committee: meets the first or second Monday of the month, September through June.
- Budget: the council works through adoption of the city budget by June 30, then recesses for the summer.
- Elections: municipal offices (mayor, council, school committee) are decided in odd-numbered years.
Your County Officials
Two of the people with the most direct power over your life are elected countywide. The district attorney decides who gets charged with a crime, and what they get charged with. The sheriff runs the county jail. Both of them answer to the voters of Middlesex County, and that includes Malden. They appear on your ballot. Now you know what to look for.
Every county in Massachusetts elects its own, and the job is the same everywhere: the charging decisions, the jail. Look up any town in the state and see who holds these two offices there.
Your First Civic Action in Malden
You do not have to wait until you can vote to be heard. Here is a concrete path from “I care about this” to “I said it on the record to the people who decide,” using rooms and phone numbers that are already open to you.
- Pick the right body. A park, a road, a pothole, taxes, or a line in the city budget is City Council territory. Your school, a class, a program, or the school calendar belongs to the School Committee.
- Find the meeting. The City Council meets most Tuesday evenings during the session in the Herbert Jackson Council Chamber at 215 Pleasant Street. The School Committee meets the first or second Monday of the month, September through June. Agendas come from the City Clerk’s office and post in advance at cityofmalden.org.
- Know your councillors. Malden has eight ward councillors, one tied to your own neighborhood, plus three at-large councillors who answer to the whole city. The City Clerk, who staffs the Council and its agenda, is your way in at 781-397-7116.
- Speak. Both the Council and the School Committee open their meetings to public comment. You sign up, you get your minutes, and you say your piece on the record.
- Or skip the trip. Report a pothole, a broken streetlight, or a trash problem any time through Malden 311 on SeeClickFix at seeclickfix.com/us-ma-malden, or call City Hall at 781-397-7000.
- City Hall (main line): 781-397-7000
- City Clerk and Council agendas: 781-397-7116
- Malden Public Schools: 781-397-6100, maldenps.org
This city moves when residents show up. Find your councillors, sit in on a Tuesday meeting, or testify at a public hearing.
Sources
This guide draws on public sources, refreshed July 2026: U.S. Census Bureau, Massachusetts DESE School and District Profiles, Massachusetts Legislature (malegislature.gov), and the official Malden government website.