Stoneham vs Woburn
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.
The prices are essentially identical, so schools break the tie: Stoneham is ahead — 53rd percentile on MCAS against 31st.
Stoneham 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 Stoneham if you want the stronger schools of the two, or the commute matters most.
All Stoneham numbers →Choose Woburn if you want the lower price, or you want a train.
All Woburn 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.
SchoolsStoneham ahead on 2 of 8
| Stoneham | Woburn | |
|---|---|---|
| School tier | solid schoolsT3 | solid schoolsT3 |
| MCAS achievement | 53rd | 31st |
| Student growth | 46th | 45th |
| Graduation rate | 91.9% | 91.1% |
| State accountability | Moderate progress toward targets | Moderate progress toward targets |
| Spending per pupil | $22,466 | $24,148 |
| Schools in the district | 5 | 9 |
| Private schools within 12 mi | 56 | 44 |
What a home costsStoneham ahead on 1 of 6
| Stoneham | Woburn | |
|---|---|---|
| 4BR house | $825kT2 | $825kT2 |
| 3BR townhouse | $650k | $650k |
| 2BR condo | $480k | $480k |
| 3BR rent | $3,230/mo | $3,887/mo |
| Income needed for the 4BR | $216k | $213k |
| 10-year price growth | 5.5% a year | 5.4% a year |
What you pay the townWoburn ahead on 2 of 4
| Stoneham | Woburn | |
|---|---|---|
| Tax rate | $10.06T2 | $9.15T1 |
| Est. tax bill on that 4BR | ≈$8,300 | ≈$7,500 |
| Town spending per resident | $3,946 | $4,739 |
| Share of budget on schools | 42% | 47% |
Getting to workStoneham ahead on 2 of 3, 1 against
| Stoneham | Woburn | |
|---|---|---|
| Commute to Boston | 31 minT2 | 36 minT2 |
| MBTA rail | No MBTA rail | Commuter rail · ~30 min to terminal |
| Miles from downtown | 8 mi | 10 mi |
Before kindergartenWoburn ahead on 3 of 4
| Stoneham | Woburn | |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed child care programs | 20 | 63 |
| Child care places | 866 | 2,343 |
| Centers vs family programs | 9 centers | 27 centers |
| Infant places in centers | 120 | 558 |
What the place is likeDescribes the two, does not rank them
| Stoneham | Woburn | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 23,244 | 40,876 |
| Energy | 7/10 | 7/10 |
| Compact center | 7/10 | 7/10 |
| Family amenities | 6/10 | 7/10 |
| Culture | 6/10 | 7/10 |
| 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 FY2026 Small Area FMRs · reviewed · methodology. Never uses demographics as an input.
