Wayland vs Weston
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.
Weston is about 5 minutes closer to downtown Boston at peak, and it has MBTA rail while Wayland does not. Over a decade of commuting that gap is worth more than most people price it at.
On tax, look past the rate: Wayland works out roughly $7,900 a year cheaper on its own median 4BR — despite having the higher rate of the two, because the bill follows the house.
Choose Wayland if you want the lower price.
All Wayland numbers →Choose Weston if the commute matters most, or you want a train.
All Weston 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.
SchoolsWeston ahead on 2 of 10
| Wayland | Weston | |
|---|---|---|
| School tier | top schoolsT1 | top schoolsT1 |
| MCAS achievement | 98th | 99th |
| Student growth | 56th | 53rd |
| Graduation rate | 97.3% | 97.7% |
| Niche district rank | 9th of 236 | 2nd of 236 |
| SchoolDigger rank | 8th of 361 | 5th of 361 |
| State accountability | Meeting or exceeding targets | Meeting or exceeding targets |
| Spending per pupil | $23,649 | $31,170 |
| Schools in the district | 5 | 4 |
| Private schools within 12 mi | 44 | 51 |
What a home costsWayland ahead on 6 of 8
| Wayland | Weston | |
|---|---|---|
| 4BR house | $1.6MT4 | $2.9MT4 |
| 3BR townhouse | $1.1M | $1.75M |
| 2BR condo | $815k | $1.29M |
| 3BR home | $1.02M | $1.54M |
| 5+ BR home | $1.96M | $3.28M |
| 3BR rent | $3,590/mo | $3,570/mo |
| Income needed for the 4BR | $439k | $749k |
| 10-year price growth | 5.4% a year | 5.5% a year |
What you pay the townEven, 1 each of 4
| Wayland | Weston | |
|---|---|---|
| Tax rate | $14.83T3 | $10.88T2 |
| Est. tax bill on that 4BR | ≈$23,700 | ≈$31,600 |
| Town spending per resident | $7,308 | $8,635 |
| Share of budget on schools | 52% | 47% |
Getting to workWeston ahead on 3 of 3
| Wayland | Weston | |
|---|---|---|
| Commute to Boston | 46 minT3 | 41 minT2 |
| MBTA rail | No MBTA rail | Commuter rail · ~36 min to terminal |
| Miles from downtown | 16 mi | 13 mi |
Before kindergartenLevel across all 4
| Wayland | Weston | |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed child care programs | 14 | 12 |
| Child care places | 775 | 774 |
| Centers vs family programs | 12 centers | 12 centers |
| Infant places in centers | 199 | 197 |
What the place is likeDescribes the two, does not rank them
| Wayland | Weston | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,943 | 11,851 |
| Energy | 4/10 | 3/10 |
| Compact center | 3/10 | 3/10 |
| Family amenities | 5/10 | 8/10 |
| Culture | 6/10 | 5/10 |
| Gathering places | 7/10 | 5/10 |
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.
