Carlisle vs Chelmsford
You are paying about $725k more for a 4BR in Carlisle, and in exchange you get the stronger schools. That is the trade in plain terms: $725k for one tier of schooling.
Carlisle is about 8 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: Chelmsford works out roughly $11,500 a year cheaper on its own median 4BR.
Choose Carlisle if you want the stronger schools of the two, or the commute matters most.
All Carlisle numbers →Choose Chelmsford if you want the lower price.
All Chelmsford 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.
| Carlisle | Chelmsford | |
|---|---|---|
| School tier | top schoolsT1 | strong schoolsT2 |
| MCAS percentile | 99th | 74th |
| Niche district rank | — | 59th of 236 |
| 4BR house | $1.5MT4 | $775kT2 |
| 2BR condo | $775k | $450k |
| Commute to Boston | 49 minT3 | 57 minT3 |
| MBTA rail | No MBTA rail | No MBTA rail |
| Tax rate | $14.50T3 | $13.27T3 |
| Est. tax bill on that 4BR | ≈$21,800 | ≈$10,300 |
| 3BR rent | $3,100/mo | $3,227/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.
