Boxborough vs Harvard
marks the Massachusetts median on each scale. The better of the two is picked out where the gap is big enough to call; where neither is, they are level.
On schools these two are genuinely close — same tier and within five MCAS percentiles of each other — so the schools should not decide it. Price and commute should.
Boxborough is about 6 minutes closer to downtown Boston at peak. Over a decade of commuting that gap is worth more than most people price it at.
On tax, look past the rate: Boxborough works out roughly $2,900 a year cheaper on its own median 4BR.
Choose Boxborough if you want the lower price, or the commute matters most.
All Boxborough numbers →Choose Harvard if you prefer the town itself — the numbers do not separate them.
All Harvard numbers →Side by side
Some rows have no better. Town character describes a place rather than ranking it, and per-pupil spending tracks need rather than results, so neither is picked out.
SchoolsBoxborough ahead on 2 of 10, 1 against
| Boxborough | Harvard | |
|---|---|---|
| School tier | top schoolsT1 | top schoolsT1 |
| MCAS achievement | 92nd | 92nd |
| Student growth | 60th | 56th |
| Graduation rate | 94.4% | 95.5% |
| Niche district rank | 17th of 236 | 21st of 236 |
| SchoolDigger rank | 36th of 361 | 17th of 361 |
| State accountability | Meeting or exceeding targets | Meeting or exceeding targets |
| Spending per pupil | $22,300 | $25,306 |
| Schools in the district | 8 | 2 |
| Private schools within 12 mi | 11 | 9 |
What a home costsBoxborough ahead on 4 of 7
| Boxborough | Harvard | |
|---|---|---|
| 4BR house | $950kT3 | $1.1MT3 |
| 3BR townhouse | $720k | $800k |
| 2BR condo | $535k | $590k |
| 3BR home | $828k | $836k |
| 3BR rent | $3,180/mo | $3,180/mo |
| Income needed for the 4BR | $266k | $308k |
| 10-year price growth | 5.4% a year | 5.7% a year |
What you pay the townBoxborough ahead on 1 of 4
| Boxborough | Harvard | |
|---|---|---|
| Tax rate | $15.39T4 | $15.87T4 |
| Est. tax bill on that 4BR | ≈$14,600 | ≈$17,500 |
| Town spending per resident | $5,124 | $5,004 |
| Share of budget on schools | 57% | 47% |
Getting to workBoxborough ahead on 2 of 3
| Boxborough | Harvard | |
|---|---|---|
| Commute to Boston | 60 minT3 | 66 minT4 |
| MBTA rail | No MBTA rail | No MBTA rail |
| Miles from downtown | 25 mi | 29 mi |
Before kindergartenEven, 1 each of 4
| Boxborough | Harvard | |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed child care programs | 3 | 6 |
| Child care places | 179 | 177 |
| Centers vs family programs | 3 centers | 4 centers |
| Infant places in centers | 57 | 29 |
What the place is likeDescribes the two, does not rank them
| Boxborough | Harvard | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 5,506 | 6,851 |
| Energy | 3/10 | 5/10 |
| Compact center | 3/10 | 5/10 |
| Family amenities | 6/10 | 5/10 |
| Culture | 4/10 | 6/10 |
| Gathering places | 5/10 | 7/10 |
The tax bill is each town’s own rate on its own median 4BR, so a lower rate does not always mean a lower bill. School tiers are editorial, shown beside the state’s own MCAS figures rather than derived from them.
Prices calibrated to Zillow ZHVI and Redfin · FY2026 residential tax rates · rail leg from the MBTA timetable, drive modeled · rents are HUD FY2027 Small Area FMRs · reviewed · methodology. Never uses demographics as an input.
