Lynn vs Saugus
You are paying about $75k more for a 4BR in Saugus, and in exchange you get the stronger schools. That is the trade in plain terms: $75k for one tier of schooling.
Saugus 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.
On tax, look past the rate: Lynn works out roughly $900 a year cheaper on its own median 4BR.
Choose Lynn if you want the lower price, or you want a train.
All Lynn numbers →Choose Saugus if you want the stronger schools of the two, or the commute matters most.
All Saugus 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.
| Lynn | Saugus | |
|---|---|---|
| School tier | mixed schoolsT4 | solid schoolsT3 |
| MCAS percentile | 2nd | 24th |
| Niche district rank | — | — |
| 4BR house | $650kT2 | $725kT2 |
| 2BR condo | $390k | $425k |
| Commute to Boston | 40 minT2 | 35 minT2 |
| MBTA rail | Commuter rail · ~28 min to terminal | No MBTA rail |
| Tax rate | $10.30T2 | $10.42T2 |
| Est. tax bill on that 4BR | ≈$6,700 | ≈$7,600 |
| 3BR rent | $3,080/mo | $3,230/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.
