Lexington vs Winchester
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.
Winchester is about 7 minutes closer to downtown Boston at peak, and it has MBTA rail while Lexington does not. Over a decade of commuting that gap is worth more than most people price it at.
On tax, look past the rate: Winchester works out roughly $4,700 a year cheaper on its own median 4BR.
Choose Lexington if you prefer the town itself — the numbers do not separate them.
All Lexington numbers →Choose Winchester if you want the lower price, or the commute matters most, or you want a train.
All Winchester 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.
SchoolsLexington ahead on 3 of 10, 1 against
| Lexington | Winchester | |
|---|---|---|
| School tier | top schoolsT1 | top schoolsT1 |
| MCAS achievement | 99th | 97th |
| Student growth | 60th | 59th |
| Graduation rate | 98.2% | 96% |
| Niche district rank | 3rd of 236 | 8th of 236 |
| SchoolDigger rank | 9th of 361 | 10th of 361 |
| State accountability | Meeting or exceeding targets | Meeting or exceeding targets |
| Spending per pupil | $27,831 | $19,932 |
| Schools in the district | 9 | 6 |
| Private schools within 12 mi | 45 | 61 |
What a home costsWinchester ahead on 3 of 8
| Lexington | Winchester | |
|---|---|---|
| 4BR house | $2.05MT4 | $1.85MT4 |
| 3BR townhouse | $1.35M | $1.25M |
| 2BR condo | $1M | $925k |
| 3BR home | $1.28M | $1.34M |
| 5+ BR home | $2.44M | $2.33M |
| 3BR rent | $4,963/mo | $3,843/mo |
| Income needed for the 4BR | $542k | $482k |
| 10-year price growth | 5.3% a year | 4.9% a year |
What you pay the townWinchester ahead on 2 of 4
| Lexington | Winchester | |
|---|---|---|
| Tax rate | $12.31T2 | $11.08T2 |
| Est. tax bill on that 4BR | ≈$25,200 | ≈$20,500 |
| Town spending per resident | $8,108 | $6,257 |
| Share of budget on schools | 52% | 46% |
Getting to workWinchester ahead on 3 of 3
| Lexington | Winchester | |
|---|---|---|
| Commute to Boston | 38 minT2 | 31 minT2 |
| MBTA rail | No MBTA rail | Commuter rail · ~20 min to terminal |
| Miles from downtown | 11 mi | 8 mi |
Before kindergartenLexington ahead on 3 of 4
| Lexington | Winchester | |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed child care programs | 35 | 22 |
| Child care places | 2,048 | 1,600 |
| Centers vs family programs | 25 centers | 18 centers |
| Infant places in centers | 413 | 125 |
What the place is likeDescribes the two, does not rank them
| Lexington | Winchester | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 34,454 | 22,970 |
| Energy | 6/10 | 6/10 |
| Compact center | 6/10 | 7/10 |
| Family amenities | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Culture | 9/10 | 7/10 |
| Gathering places | 9/10 | 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.
