Natick vs Wellesley
You are paying about $1.25M more for a 4BR in Wellesley, and in exchange you get the stronger schools. That is the trade in plain terms: $1.25M for one tier of schooling.
Wellesley is about 7 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: Natick works out roughly $10,700 a year cheaper on its own median 4BR — despite having the higher rate of the two, because the bill follows the house.
Choose Natick if you want the lower price.
All Natick numbers →Choose Wellesley if you want the stronger schools of the two, or the commute matters most.
All Wellesley 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.
| Natick | Wellesley | |
|---|---|---|
| School tier | strong schoolsT2 | top schoolsT1 |
| MCAS percentile | 89th | 98th |
| Niche district rank | 22nd of 236 | 15th of 236 |
| 4BR house | $1MT3 | $2.25MT4 |
| 2BR condo | $575k | $1.07M |
| Commute to Boston | 46 minT3 | 39 minT2 |
| MBTA rail | Commuter rail · ~49 min to terminal | Commuter rail · ~38 min to terminal |
| Tax rate | $12.17T2 | $10.17T2 |
| Est. tax bill on that 4BR | ≈$12,200 | ≈$22,900 |
| 3BR rent | $3,920/mo | $4,780/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.
