Arlington vs Lexington
You are paying about $800k more for a 4BR in Lexington, and in exchange you get the stronger schools. That is the trade in plain terms: $800k for one tier of schooling.
On tax, look past the rate: Arlington works out roughly $11,900 a year cheaper on its own median 4BR.
Choose Arlington if you want the lower price, or the commute matters most.
All Arlington numbers →Choose Lexington if you want the stronger schools of the two.
All Lexington numbers →Side by side
The better of the two is highlighted on each row. Where a row is not highlighted, the two are close enough that calling a winner would be false precision.
| Arlington | Lexington | |
|---|---|---|
| School tier | strong schoolsT2 | top schoolsT1 |
| MCAS percentile | 93rd | 99th |
| Niche district rank | 28th of 236 | 3rd of 236 |
| 4BR house | $1.25MT3 | $2.05MT4 |
| 2BR condo | $675k | $1M |
| Commute to Boston | 34 minT2 | 38 minT2 |
| MBTA rail | No MBTA rail | No MBTA rail |
| Tax rate | $10.67T2 | $12.31T2 |
| Est. tax bill on that 4BR | ≈$13,300 | ≈$25,200 |
| 3BR rent | $3,603/mo | $4,903/mo |
Prices are estimates calibrated to the Zillow Home Value Index and Redfin; tax rates are FY2026 residential rates and the bill applies that rate to the town’s own median 4BR estimate; commutes take the rail leg from the MBTA timetable and still model the drive; rents are HUD FY2026 Small Area Fair Market Rents. School tiers are editorial and shown next to the state’s own MCAS figures. Data last reviewed — see the methodology. This comparison never uses demographics as an input.
