Signals
Winchester
Boston
Opportunity
68 · Top 26%
vs64 · Top 33%
Climate
62 · Bottom 20%
vs65 · Bottom 36%
Physical resilience
88 · Top 14%
vs97 · Top 1%
Housing affordability
76 · Bottom 42%
vs44 · Bottom 6%
Schools
93 · Top 2%
vs41 · Bottom 36%
Access
99 · Top 14%
vs99 · Top 14%
Economic stability
78 · Top 10%
vs55 · Bottom 39%
Measured values
| Metric | Winchester | Boston | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 23,406 | 666,442 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $230,198 | $97,344 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $109,898 | $61,698 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,880/sq mi | 13,786/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,215,200 | $731,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,279 | $2,147 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 81.7% | 35.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 79.5% | 54.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.7% | 16.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 85°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 18°F | 23°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 42.6" | 43.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 9 mi | 2 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 34.3 min | 33.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.5 | 33.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 127 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.76 | 10.92 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 62.1% | 21.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 75.4% | 34.8% | 2019-20 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Winchester
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Boston
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Winchester
81
Your Score
—
Area Score
Boston
65
Your Score
64
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Winchester, MA · Boston, MA · How this is calculated: methodology