Charlton vs Oxford
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 $50k more for a 4BR in Charlton, and in exchange you get the stronger schools. That is the trade in plain terms: $50k for one tier of schooling.
Oxford is about 5 minutes closer to downtown Boston at peak. Over a decade of commuting that gap is worth more than most people price it at.
Choose Charlton if you want the stronger schools of the two.
All Charlton numbers →Choose Oxford if you want the lower price, or the commute matters most.
All Oxford 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.
SchoolsCharlton ahead on 3 of 9, 2 against
| Charlton | Oxford | |
|---|---|---|
| School tier | solid schoolsT3 | mixed schoolsT4 |
| MCAS achievement | 34th | 24th |
| Student growth | 45th | 43rd |
| Graduation rate | 90.6% | 95.2% |
| SchoolDigger rank | 233rd of 361 | 318th of 361 |
| State accountability | Moderate progress toward targets | Moderate progress toward targets |
| Spending per pupil | $17,572 | $19,086 |
| Schools in the district | 6 | 4 |
| Private schools within 12 mi | 0 | 4 |
What a home costsOxford ahead on 5 of 8
| Charlton | Oxford | |
|---|---|---|
| 4BR house | $550kT1 | $500kT1 |
| 3BR townhouse | $425k | $385k |
| 2BR condo | $315k | $285k |
| 3BR home | $527k | $452k |
| 5+ BR home | $686k | $544k |
| 3BR rent | $2,300/mo | $2,300/mo |
| Income needed for the 4BR | $148k | $138k |
| 10-year price growth | 6.6% a year | 6.9% a year |
What you pay the townCharlton ahead on 1 of 4
| Charlton | Oxford | |
|---|---|---|
| Tax rate | $10.94T2 | $12.23T2 |
| Est. tax bill on that 4BR | ≈$6,000 | ≈$6,100 |
| Town spending per resident | $3,172 | $3,725 |
| Share of budget on schools | 50% | 47% |
Getting to workOxford ahead on 2 of 3
| Charlton | Oxford | |
|---|---|---|
| Commute to Boston | 87 minT4 | 82 minT4 |
| MBTA rail | No MBTA rail | No MBTA rail |
| Miles from downtown | 49 mi | 44 mi |
Before kindergartenCharlton ahead on 2 of 4
| Charlton | Oxford | |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed child care programs | 16 | 18 |
| Child care places | 453 | 235 |
| Centers vs family programs | 5 centers | 3 centers |
| Infant places in centers | 43 | 16 |
What the place is likeDescribes the two, does not rank them
| Charlton | Oxford | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,315 | 13,347 |
| Energy | 4/10 | 5/10 |
| Compact center | 4/10 | 6/10 |
| Family amenities | 3/10 | 4/10 |
| Culture | 4/10 | 5/10 |
| Gathering places | 6/10 | 6/10 |
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.
