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Town comparison · Massachusetts

Holliston vs Sherborn

MetroWest · MetroWest
Holliston leads 3–2 on headline livability metrics

Across the six headline livability metrics (schools, safety, walkability, biking, affordability, and commute), Holliston edges Sherborn 3 to 2 with 1 tie. Median homes in Holliston run roughly $425k cheaper than in Sherborn, about 36% less. Sherborn is about 12 minutes closer to Boston by car at peak. Schools tilt clearly toward Sherborn (95 vs. 85).

The two towns at a glance

Holliston

MetroWest · pop. 15,015
One of MetroWest's hidden gems: strong schools, the Sudbury Valley Trustees trail network on your doorstep, and home prices that have finally caught up to its quality of life. The Rail Trail connects directly into Milford and gives this car-dependent town actual walkable appeal.
58
Default fit score
equal weights, 0–100
Full Holliston profile →

Sherborn

MetroWest · pop. 4,430
Sherborn is the ultra-wealthy rural option west of Boston, Dover-Sherborn schools, massive lots, and a near-total absence of commercial development.
59
Default fit score
equal weights, 0–100
Full Sherborn profile →

Head-to-head: every metric

Holliston Sherborn
Headline
Livability index 57 53
Economics
Median home $751k $1.18M
Household income $155k $243k
Price ÷ income 4.9× 4.8×
Tax burden 62 60
Schools & Safety
Schools 85 95
Safety 90 96
Getting around
Commute to Boston 50 min 38 min
Walkability 30 10
Transit 8 5
Biking 38 22
Lifestyle
Dining 48 15
Nightlife 25 8
Arts & culture 32 18
Green space 42 65
Community
Diversity 30 12
Climate 71 73
5-yr trend 70 62

Clay = wins this metric. Direction matters: lower median home and shorter commute are better; everything else, higher is better.

Compare on your terms

These winners are based on a neutral, equal weighting of every metric. Your priorities are not neutral. Open Holliston vs Sherborn in the interactive atlas to tune schools, walkability, affordability, commute, and seven more dimensions, and watch the verdict change.

Stuck between Holliston and Sherborn?

I'm Gary Fikes, a licensed real estate agent at MP Signature Realty and the curator of this site. I've walked both towns. Tell me what matters most and I'll give you a straight answer within 1 business day. No auto-dialer, no spam, no resale.

About this comparison

Bay State Atlas ranks 194 Massachusetts towns using public data (Census ACS, MA DESE schools, Walk Score, MA Department of Revenue tax data, and the FBI UCR safety index) normalized to 0–100. Every weight is editable. This page is a static, indexable snapshot. The live tool is faster and lets you customize what counts.