Lincoln vs Sudbury
Lincoln and Sudbury belong to the Lincoln-Sudbury district above the elementary and middle years, and each runs its own schools below that. The shared name hides a real difference in the early grades.
Lincoln is about 8 minutes closer to downtown Boston at peak, and it has MBTA rail while Sudbury does not. Over a decade of commuting that gap is worth more than most people price it at.
On tax, look past the rate: Sudbury works out roughly $6,600 a year cheaper on its own median 4BR — despite having the higher rate of the two, because the bill follows the house.
Choose Lincoln if the commute matters most, or you want a train.
All Lincoln numbers →Choose Sudbury if you want the stronger schools of the two, or you want the lower price.
All Sudbury 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.
| Lincoln | Sudbury | |
|---|---|---|
| School tier | top schoolsT1 | top schoolsT1 |
| MCAS percentile | 78th | 97th |
| Niche district rank | — | — |
| 4BR house | $2.5MT4 | $1.7MT4 |
| 2BR condo | $1.11M | $850k |
| Commute to Boston | 42 minT2 | 50 minT3 |
| MBTA rail | Commuter rail · ~43 min to terminal | No MBTA rail |
| Tax rate | $12.50T3 | $14.50T3 |
| Est. tax bill on that 4BR | ≈$31,300 | ≈$24,700 |
| 3BR rent | $4,337/mo | $3,473/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.
