Harwich vs Yarmouth
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 $125k more for a 4BR in Harwich, and in exchange you get the stronger schools. That is the trade in plain terms: $125k for 27 MCAS percentile points inside the same tier.
Yarmouth 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 Harwich if you want the stronger schools of the two.
All Harwich numbers →Choose Yarmouth if you want the lower price, or the commute matters most.
All Yarmouth 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.
SchoolsHarwich ahead on 3 of 9
| Harwich | Yarmouth | |
|---|---|---|
| School tier | solid schoolsT3 | solid schoolsT3 |
| MCAS achievement | 56th | 29th |
| Student growth | 50th | 47th |
| Graduation rate | 97.4% | 89.7% |
| SchoolDigger rank | 196th of 361 | 294th of 361 |
| State accountability | Moderate progress toward targets | Moderate progress toward targets |
| Spending per pupil | $25,510 | $23,602 |
| Schools in the district | 3 | 5 |
| Private schools within 12 mi | 1 | 1 |
What a home costsYarmouth ahead on 5 of 8
| Harwich | Yarmouth | |
|---|---|---|
| 4BR house | $750kT2 | $625kT2 |
| 3BR townhouse | $575k | $475k |
| 2BR condo | $425k | $350k |
| 3BR home | $769k | $666k |
| 5+ BR home | $1.19M | $1.2M |
| 3BR rent | $3,340/mo | $3,097/mo |
| Income needed for the 4BR | $186k | $159k |
| 10-year price growth | 6.9% a year | 7% a year |
What you pay the townHarwich ahead on 1 of 4
| Harwich | Yarmouth | |
|---|---|---|
| Tax rate | $5.81T1 | $6.97T1 |
| Est. tax bill on that 4BR | ≈$4,400 | ≈$4,400 |
| Town spending per resident | $6,030 | $4,118 |
| Share of budget on schools | 40% | 46% |
Getting to workYarmouth ahead on 1 of 3
| Harwich | Yarmouth | |
|---|---|---|
| Commute to Boston | 106 minT4 | 101 minT4 |
| MBTA rail | No MBTA rail | No MBTA rail |
| Miles from downtown | 68 mi | 63 mi |
Before kindergartenYarmouth ahead on 3 of 4
| Harwich | Yarmouth | |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed child care programs | 7 | 36 |
| Child care places | 157 | 614 |
| Centers vs family programs | 3 centers | 8 centers |
| Infant places in centers | 19 | 41 |
What the place is likeDescribes the two, does not rank them
| Harwich | Yarmouth | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,440 | 25,023 |
| Energy | 6/10 | 6/10 |
| Compact center | 5/10 | 5/10 |
| Family amenities | 6/10 | 7/10 |
| Culture | 7/10 | 6/10 |
| 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.
