Burlington vs Woburn
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.
You are paying about $75k more for a 4BR in Burlington, and in exchange you get the stronger schools. That is the trade in plain terms: $75k for 41 MCAS percentile points inside the same tier.
Woburn is about 5 minutes closer to downtown Boston at peak, and it has MBTA rail while Burlington does not. Over a decade of commuting that gap is worth more than most people price it at.
Choose Burlington if you want the stronger schools of the two.
All Burlington numbers →Choose Woburn if you want the lower price, or the commute matters most, or you want a train.
All Woburn 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.
SchoolsBurlington ahead on 3 of 8
| Burlington | Woburn | |
|---|---|---|
| School tier | solid schoolsT3 | solid schoolsT3 |
| MCAS achievement | 72nd | 31st |
| Student growth | 51st | 45th |
| Graduation rate | 93.5% | 91.1% |
| State accountability | Moderate progress toward targets | Moderate progress toward targets |
| Spending per pupil | $27,731 | $24,148 |
| Schools in the district | 6 | 9 |
| Private schools within 12 mi | 41 | 44 |
What a home costsWoburn ahead on 3 of 8
| Burlington | Woburn | |
|---|---|---|
| 4BR house | $900kT3 | $825kT2 |
| 3BR townhouse | $690k | $650k |
| 2BR condo | $510k | $480k |
| 3BR home | $835k | $764k |
| 5+ BR home | $1.11M | $950k |
| 3BR rent | $4,260/mo | $3,987/mo |
| Income needed for the 4BR | $230k | $213k |
| 10-year price growth | 5.4% a year | 5.4% a year |
What you pay the townLevel across all 4
| Burlington | Woburn | |
|---|---|---|
| Tax rate | $8.69T1 | $9.15T1 |
| Est. tax bill on that 4BR | ≈$7,800 | ≈$7,500 |
| Town spending per resident | $7,145 | $4,739 |
| Share of budget on schools | 44% | 47% |
Getting to workWoburn ahead on 3 of 3
| Burlington | Woburn | |
|---|---|---|
| Commute to Boston | 41 minT2 | 36 minT2 |
| MBTA rail | No MBTA rail | Commuter rail · ~30 min to terminal |
| Miles from downtown | 13 mi | 10 mi |
Before kindergartenWoburn ahead on 3 of 4
| Burlington | Woburn | |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed child care programs | 28 | 63 |
| Child care places | 1,491 | 2,343 |
| Centers vs family programs | 16 centers | 27 centers |
| Infant places in centers | 399 | 558 |
What the place is likeDescribes the two, does not rank them
| Burlington | Woburn | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 26,377 | 40,876 |
| Energy | 8/10 | 7/10 |
| Compact center | 7/10 | 7/10 |
| Family amenities | 8/10 | 7/10 |
| Culture | 6/10 | 7/10 |
| Gathering places | 8/10 | 8/10 |
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.
