Rating Categories

Academic Performance and Property Tax are ranked relative to the other municipalities within the TownRatings™ dataset. Commute to Boston and Shopping & Dining use fixed rating scales. Lifestyle is a non-ranked, descriptive classification.

• Academic Performance

  Evaluates Grade 10 MCAS academic achievement in English Language Arts and Mathematics, together with Grade 10 student growth, using 2025 public school district data reported by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). Ratings reflect each district’s relative position within the TownRatings™ dataset.

  Rating Tier	Relative Position in Dataset
  Top Tier	90th percentile and above
  Upper Tier	70th to under 90th percentile
  Middle Tier	30th to under 70th percentile
  Lower Tier	10th to under 30th percentile
  Bottom Tier	Below the 10th percentile

  Ratings compare Grade 10 public school district results only within the TownRatings™ dataset. They are not statewide classifications of overall school quality and do not evaluate private schools, individual public schools, other grade levels, programs, or individual student outcomes.

• Commute to Boston

  Measures standardized weekday morning drive time from each municipality to a fixed destination in Boston and in-town MBTA transit availability, defined as a commuter-rail or rapid-transit option. A transit-option credit is factored into the Adjusted Commute Score to reflect the availability of an in-town alternative to driving. The transit component measures availability, not actual train travel time.

  Rating Scale	Adjusted Commute Score (minutes)
  Easy	≤ 35
  Manageable	> 35 to ≤ 55
  Typical	> 55 to < 70
  Challenging	≥ 70 to < 80
  Difficult	≥ 80

  The Adjusted Commute Score is a standardized, transit-adjusted figure expressed in minutes for comparison across municipalities. Municipalities with qualifying in-town transit receive a credit and may score below their actual drive time; the score is not a door-to-door travel estimate.

• Shopping & Dining

  Uses a structured 10-point rubric evaluating dining depth and variety, shopping depth and variety, and the strength of the municipality’s commercial centers. Evaluations draw on publicly available information and Team Coyle’s local market insights.

  
  

  Only establishments physically located within the municipality and generally available to the public are counted. Options located in neighboring municipalities are not included.

  Rating Scale	Shopping & Dining Score
  Extensive	9–10
  Strong	7–8
  Moderate	5–6
  Limited	3–4
  Minimal	0–2

  Ratings use fixed score ranges and are not determined by percentiles or a predetermined distribution of municipalities. This category measures in-town commercial offerings, not access to shopping and dining in surrounding communities.

• Lifestyle

  Provides each municipality with a non-ranked, descriptive classification based on its predominant development pattern and physical environment. The primary classifications—Urban, Suburban, and Rural—consider land use, development density, zoning patterns, and the built environment.

  A Historic modifier may be added where documented historic resources materially contribute to the municipality’s character, based on sources such as MACRIS, local historical commissions, and municipal records.

  Scale Urban · Suburban · Rural

  Modifier Historic

  These classifications describe characteristics of the municipality, not its residents, overall desirability, or suitability for any particular buyer.

• Property Tax

  Compares each municipality’s FY2026 average single-family property tax bill using the Average Single-Family Tax Bill report issued by the Massachusetts Department of Revenue, Division of Local Services. The published amount is a municipality-level average and is not an estimate of the tax bill for any particular property.

  Rating Scale	Relative Position by Tax Bill
  Very Low	Below the 2.5th percentile
  Low	2.5th to under the 25th percentile
  Average	25th to under the 75th percentile
  High	75th to under the 97.5th percentile
  Very High	97.5th percentile and above

  Ratings rank the published average bills from lowest to highest within the TownRatings™ dataset. The classifications are relative and do not represent permanent dollar ranges. Because the average bill reflects both assessed values and the residential tax rate, a High or Very High classification indicates a relatively high average bill—not necessarily a high tax rate.