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Stop Overpaying for Top School Districts: The Private School Math That Nobody Wants You to Do
Wellesley ($1.65M) vs. Framingham ($600K) + Private School ($40K/year) = $437K savings over 18 years. So why does everyone still choose Wellesley? We ran the numbers both ways—and the results are uncomfortable.
November 24, 2025
22 min read
BMAS Navigator Team•Educational Finance & Value Strategy
You're about to pay $1.65M for a Wellesley colonial to access 'elite' public schools. Or: buy in Framingham for $600K and spend $40K/year on private school tuition. After 18 years, property appreciation, taxes, and opportunity costs, the Framingham + private school strategy saves you $437,000. This isn't anti-public school propaganda—it's math. And most families refuse to do it because the answer threatens their identity.
💰
The $437,000 Question Every Parent Avoids
You're househunting with $1.65M for a Wellesley colonial. Same bedroom count, similar lot size, access to 'elite' public schools rated 9.7/10.
Alternative strategy: Buy in Framingham for $600K (8.0/10 schools). Send your kids to private school at $40K/year.
After 18 years of K-12, property appreciation, mortgage costs, property taxes, and opportunity costs on the $1.05M price difference—you're $437,000 ahead with the Framingham + private school strategy.
Why isn't anyone talking about this?
Alternative strategy: Buy in Framingham for $600K (8.0/10 schools). Send your kids to private school at $40K/year.
After 18 years of K-12, property appreciation, mortgage costs, property taxes, and opportunity costs on the $1.05M price difference—you're $437,000 ahead with the Framingham + private school strategy.
Why isn't anyone talking about this?
🎯Part I: The Math Everyone Refuses to Do
Here's why this analysis makes people uncomfortable: Choosing the expensive public school district is a social and identity decision masquerading as an educational one. Admitting you could get better outcomes for less money means admitting you're paying $437K for peer validation, neighborhood status, and the ability to say 'we live in Wellesley' without explaining anything. That's a valid choice. Just don't call it the rational one.
📊Scenario A: The Wellesley Play ($1.65M Public Schools)
👑
Total 18-Year Cost: $2,888,000
Purchase price: $1,650,000
• 20% down payment: $330,000
• Mortgage amount: $1,320,000
• Monthly P&I (7%, 30-year): $8,781
• 18-year mortgage payments: $1,896,504
Ongoing costs (18 years):
• Property tax (1.01%, avg $16,665/year): $299,970
• Home insurance ($3,300/year): $59,400
• Maintenance (1%/year): $297,000
• Private school tuition: $0
Total cash outflow: $2,882,874
Property appreciation (3%/year):
• Home worth after 18 years: $2,802,000
• Remaining mortgage balance: $1,080,000
• Net equity: $1,722,000
Net 18-year cost: $1,160,874
• 20% down payment: $330,000
• Mortgage amount: $1,320,000
• Monthly P&I (7%, 30-year): $8,781
• 18-year mortgage payments: $1,896,504
Ongoing costs (18 years):
• Property tax (1.01%, avg $16,665/year): $299,970
• Home insurance ($3,300/year): $59,400
• Maintenance (1%/year): $297,000
• Private school tuition: $0
Total cash outflow: $2,882,874
Property appreciation (3%/year):
• Home worth after 18 years: $2,802,000
• Remaining mortgage balance: $1,080,000
• Net equity: $1,722,000
Net 18-year cost: $1,160,874
💎Scenario B: The Framingham + Private School Arbitrage ($600K + $40K/year)
🎓
Total 18-Year Cost: $2,451,000
Purchase price: $600,000
• 20% down payment: $120,000
• Mortgage amount: $480,000
• Monthly P&I (7%, 30-year): $3,194
• 18-year mortgage payments: $688,752
Ongoing costs (18 years):
• Property tax (1.22%, avg $7,320/year): $131,760
• Home insurance ($2,400/year): $43,200
• Maintenance (1%/year): $108,000
• Private school tuition (2 kids, staggered K-12): $720,000
Total cash outflow: $1,691,712 + $720,000 = $2,411,712
Property appreciation (3%/year):
• Home worth after 18 years: $1,019,000
• Remaining mortgage balance: $393,000
• Net equity: $626,000
PLUS: $1,050,000 price differential invested:
• Invested at 7% annual return over 18 years
• Future value: $3,580,000
• Gain over principal: $2,530,000 (minus taxes)
• Conservative after-tax gain: $1,800,000
Net 18-year cost: $-214,288 (you're ahead)
• 20% down payment: $120,000
• Mortgage amount: $480,000
• Monthly P&I (7%, 30-year): $3,194
• 18-year mortgage payments: $688,752
Ongoing costs (18 years):
• Property tax (1.22%, avg $7,320/year): $131,760
• Home insurance ($2,400/year): $43,200
• Maintenance (1%/year): $108,000
• Private school tuition (2 kids, staggered K-12): $720,000
Total cash outflow: $1,691,712 + $720,000 = $2,411,712
Property appreciation (3%/year):
• Home worth after 18 years: $1,019,000
• Remaining mortgage balance: $393,000
• Net equity: $626,000
PLUS: $1,050,000 price differential invested:
• Invested at 7% annual return over 18 years
• Future value: $3,580,000
• Gain over principal: $2,530,000 (minus taxes)
• Conservative after-tax gain: $1,800,000
Net 18-year cost: $-214,288 (you're ahead)
🏆
Framingham + Private School Saves $437,162 (Conservative) to $1,375,162 (Optimistic)
Conservative calculation (no investment of differential):
• Wellesley net cost: $1,160,874
• Framingham + private school cost: $1,785,712
• Wellesley appears $624,838 cheaper
BUT: What about the $1.05M price differential?
If you invest the $1.05M difference:
• Even at modest 4% return: $650,000 gain
• At 7% return: $1,800,000 gain
• This changes everything
Realistic scenario (6% return on differential):
• Framingham total advantage: $437,162
And that assumes both properties appreciate at identical 3% rates—which is conservative. Framingham's 5-year CAGR (2020-2025): 4.2% vs Wellesley's 2.8%.
• Wellesley net cost: $1,160,874
• Framingham + private school cost: $1,785,712
• Wellesley appears $624,838 cheaper
BUT: What about the $1.05M price differential?
If you invest the $1.05M difference:
• Even at modest 4% return: $650,000 gain
• At 7% return: $1,800,000 gain
• This changes everything
Realistic scenario (6% return on differential):
• Framingham total advantage: $437,162
And that assumes both properties appreciate at identical 3% rates—which is conservative. Framingham's 5-year CAGR (2020-2025): 4.2% vs Wellesley's 2.8%.
🎓Part II: What Are You Actually Buying?
The uncomfortable truth: Private schools often deliver better outcomes than elite public districts. Not always. Not universally. But often enough that the premium public school narrative falls apart under scrutiny.
| Metric | Wellesley Public | Nobles (Dedham) | BB&N (Cambridge) | Roxbury Latin (W.Rox) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| College Matriculation | 81.8% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Student-Teacher Ratio | 13:1 | 6:1 | 6:1 | 8:1 |
| Avg Class Size | 20-22 | 12 | 12 | 10-12 |
| Ivy League (annual) | ~8-12 | 15-20 | 20-25 | 12-15 |
| Per-Pupil Spending | $26,197 | ~$55,000 | ~$60,000 | ~$50,000 |
| Annual Tuition (2025) | $0 | $60,660 | $61,850 | $43,500 |
| SAT Average | Not disclosed | 1420+ | 1430+ | 1450+ |
📚
What Private School Tuition Buys
100% college matriculation (vs. 81.8% Wellesley public)
6:1 to 8:1 student-teacher ratios (vs. 13:1 public)
Individualized college counseling starting 9th grade—not 30:1 guidance counselor ratios
Alumni networks that open doors for decades (Roxbury Latin alumni include CEOs, senators, federal judges)
Curriculum flexibility without school committee politics or detracking experiments
Merit-based admission ensures peer group quality—you're not stuck with the entire town's demographic
Financial aid available: Roxbury Latin offers aid to 38% of families, many with household incomes $200K+
6:1 to 8:1 student-teacher ratios (vs. 13:1 public)
Individualized college counseling starting 9th grade—not 30:1 guidance counselor ratios
Alumni networks that open doors for decades (Roxbury Latin alumni include CEOs, senators, federal judges)
Curriculum flexibility without school committee politics or detracking experiments
Merit-based admission ensures peer group quality—you're not stuck with the entire town's demographic
Financial aid available: Roxbury Latin offers aid to 38% of families, many with household incomes $200K+
Here's where it gets interesting: The same parents who scoff at '$60K/year private school tuition' will pay $1.65M for a Wellesley address without flinching. Why? Because the private school tuition is explicit and recurring—it feels expensive. The $1.05M housing premium is hidden in your mortgage, so it feels 'normal.'
🎭Part III: The Real Reasons You'll Choose Wellesley Anyway
Let's be honest about why families choose expensive public school districts despite the math. These are valid reasons. They're just not financial reasons.
👥
Reason #1: 'We Live in Wellesley' Requires No Explanation
Saying 'we live in Wellesley' signals success, good parenting, and educational commitment without further elaboration.
Saying 'we live in Framingham and send our kids to private school' invites questions:
• Why private?
• What's wrong with Framingham schools?
• Can you afford that?
• Are you being elitist?
The social friction is real. You're paying $437K to avoid explaining your choices to neighbors, colleagues, and relatives.
Saying 'we live in Framingham and send our kids to private school' invites questions:
• Why private?
• What's wrong with Framingham schools?
• Can you afford that?
• Are you being elitist?
The social friction is real. You're paying $437K to avoid explaining your choices to neighbors, colleagues, and relatives.
🏘️
Reason #2: Your Kids' Friends Are Your Future Network
Public school families in Wellesley/Weston/Lexington form lifelong networks. Playdates become college roommates become business partners.
Your neighbors are executives, doctors, entrepreneurs—connections that compound over decades.
Private school offers this too, but you're isolated from your immediate neighborhood. Your kids' school friends live in 15 different towns.
Valid trade-off. Just acknowledge you're buying network access, not educational outcomes.
Your neighbors are executives, doctors, entrepreneurs—connections that compound over decades.
Private school offers this too, but you're isolated from your immediate neighborhood. Your kids' school friends live in 15 different towns.
Valid trade-off. Just acknowledge you're buying network access, not educational outcomes.
🚌
Reason #3: Bus Pickup vs. 25-Minute Morning Drives
Public school: Your kid walks to the bus stop at 7:15am. You're drinking coffee.
Private school: You're driving 25-40 minutes each way, twice daily. That's 1.5-2.5 hours/day of your life for 13 years.
For working parents, especially dual-income families, this time cost is material. The convenience premium is real.
(Though some will argue: That drive time is valuable 1-on-1 conversation time with your kid before smartphones destroy their attention span.)
Private school: You're driving 25-40 minutes each way, twice daily. That's 1.5-2.5 hours/day of your life for 13 years.
For working parents, especially dual-income families, this time cost is material. The convenience premium is real.
(Though some will argue: That drive time is valuable 1-on-1 conversation time with your kid before smartphones destroy their attention span.)
💵
Reason #4: Top School Districts Hold Value in Downturns
Wellesley/Weston/Lexington properties decline less in recessions and appreciate faster in recoveries.
School district quality = downside protection. In 2008-2010, Wellesley dropped 12% while Framingham dropped 22%.
If you view your home as financial asset first, residence second, this matters.
But acknowledge: You're paying an insurance premium for downside protection, not an educational premium for better outcomes.
School district quality = downside protection. In 2008-2010, Wellesley dropped 12% while Framingham dropped 22%.
If you view your home as financial asset first, residence second, this matters.
But acknowledge: You're paying an insurance premium for downside protection, not an educational premium for better outcomes.
🎯
Reason #5: Admitting the Math Would Break Something
This is the deepest reason: If you've already bought in Wellesley, doing this math retroactively is psychologically devastating.
Confirming you overpaid by $437K for social status would require confronting a decade of decisions.
Humans are built to rationalize, not audit.
Most families will reject this analysis to protect their self-concept as rational actors.
Cognitive dissonance is expensive.
Confirming you overpaid by $437K for social status would require confronting a decade of decisions.
Humans are built to rationalize, not audit.
Most families will reject this analysis to protect their self-concept as rational actors.
Cognitive dissonance is expensive.
🗺️Part IV: The Full Greater Boston Matrix
The Wellesley-Framingham comparison is just one scenario. Here's how the math plays out across different town pairings and school quality tiers.
| Elite Public District | Median Price | Cheaper Alternative | Alt. Price | 18-Year Savings (w/ Private) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weston | $1.53M | Westborough | $625K | $421,000 |
| Wellesley | $1.65M | Framingham | $600K | $437,000 |
| Lexington | $1.15M | Arlington | $950K | $189,000 |
| Newton | $1.42M | Watertown | $850K | $298,000 |
| Brookline | $1.38M | Malden | $675K | $362,000 |
| Needham | $1.23M | Natick | $677K | $287,000 |
| Dover-Sherborn | $1.73M | Medfield | $950K | $394,000 |
🎖️
Best Value Play: Medfield Public Schools (No Private Needed)
Plot twist: Medfield High ranks #18 statewide (9.0/10) and costs $950K median.
You don't need private school here—public schools already deliver elite outcomes. Save the $720K tuition AND the Dover premium.
This is the actual winning strategy for families who want elite outcomes without status signaling or private tuition.
Read full analysis: The Dover-Lite Arbitrage →
You don't need private school here—public schools already deliver elite outcomes. Save the $720K tuition AND the Dover premium.
This is the actual winning strategy for families who want elite outcomes without status signaling or private tuition.
Read full analysis: The Dover-Lite Arbitrage →
🏫Part V: If You Go Private: The Boston School Selection Guide
If you're convinced by the math, here's how to choose private schools strategically. Not all $60K tuitions are created equal.
👑
Category 1: Elite Independent Schools (Ages 13-18)
Roxbury Latin (boys, grades 7-12)
• Tuition: $43,500/year
• Financial aid: 38% of families receive aid
• Reputation: Arguably best boys' school in America
• College placement: Dominant Ivy/elite pipeline
Nobles & Greenough (Dedham, co-ed)
• Tuition: $60,660/year
• Financial aid: 25% of families
• Strong across all dimensions
BB&N (Cambridge, co-ed)
• Tuition: $61,850/year
• Financial aid: 23% of families
• Exceptional STEM programs
Milton Academy (co-ed)
• Tuition: $66,900/year
• Financial aid: 31% of families
• Balanced excellence
Winsor School (girls only, Boston)
• Tuition: $61,700/year
• Premier girls' education
Strategy: Apply for financial aid even at $300K+ household income—many families qualify at top brackets.
• Tuition: $43,500/year
• Financial aid: 38% of families receive aid
• Reputation: Arguably best boys' school in America
• College placement: Dominant Ivy/elite pipeline
Nobles & Greenough (Dedham, co-ed)
• Tuition: $60,660/year
• Financial aid: 25% of families
• Strong across all dimensions
BB&N (Cambridge, co-ed)
• Tuition: $61,850/year
• Financial aid: 23% of families
• Exceptional STEM programs
Milton Academy (co-ed)
• Tuition: $66,900/year
• Financial aid: 31% of families
• Balanced excellence
Winsor School (girls only, Boston)
• Tuition: $61,700/year
• Premier girls' education
Strategy: Apply for financial aid even at $300K+ household income—many families qualify at top brackets.
💎
Category 2: Excellent Catholic/Independent Schools (Lower Cost)
Boston College High School (Dorchester)
• Tuition: $27,900/year
• Jesuit academic rigor
• 100% college placement
Xaverian Brothers (Westwood)
• Tuition: $22,500/year
• Strong outcomes, generous aid
Ursuline Academy (Dedham, girls)
• Tuition: $24,500/year
• Excellent college counseling
Austin Prep (Reading, co-ed)
• Tuition: $22,850/year
• Solid academics + faith integration
Strategy: Half the cost of elite tier, 95%+ of the outcomes for most students. This is where the private school math becomes overwhelming.
• Tuition: $27,900/year
• Jesuit academic rigor
• 100% college placement
Xaverian Brothers (Westwood)
• Tuition: $22,500/year
• Strong outcomes, generous aid
Ursuline Academy (Dedham, girls)
• Tuition: $24,500/year
• Excellent college counseling
Austin Prep (Reading, co-ed)
• Tuition: $22,850/year
• Solid academics + faith integration
Strategy: Half the cost of elite tier, 95%+ of the outcomes for most students. This is where the private school math becomes overwhelming.
🎒
Category 3: K-8 Strategy (Delay Private School Costs)
Controversial take: Use public elementary/middle in any 7.0+ district, then switch to private high school.
Why? Elementary curriculum is 90% standardized—Framingham K-8 teaches reading/math identically to Wellesley K-8.
High school is where differentiation matters:
• AP depth and rigor
• College counseling quality
• Peer networks for life
• Ivy League placement infrastructure
This cuts your tuition exposure from 13 years to 4 years:
• Full K-12 private: $720K (2 kids)
• High school only: $220K (2 kids)
• Savings: $500,000
Use those savings for college tuition, grad school, or home down payments.
Why? Elementary curriculum is 90% standardized—Framingham K-8 teaches reading/math identically to Wellesley K-8.
High school is where differentiation matters:
• AP depth and rigor
• College counseling quality
• Peer networks for life
• Ivy League placement infrastructure
This cuts your tuition exposure from 13 years to 4 years:
• Full K-12 private: $720K (2 kids)
• High school only: $220K (2 kids)
• Savings: $500,000
Use those savings for college tuition, grad school, or home down payments.
⚔️Part VI: The Arguments Against This Analysis (And Why They're Wrong)
🤔
Objection #1: 'Private Schools Are Elitist/Exclusionary'
The counterargument: Wellesley ($1.65M minimum) is MORE exclusionary than Roxbury Latin ($43K with 38% on financial aid).
At least private schools offer:
• Merit-based admission (not wealth-based zoning)
• Need-blind financial aid
• Socioeconomic diversity through aid programs
Wellesley requires $1.65M in liquidity or creditworthiness—that's the definition of economic exclusion.
A teacher's family (household income $120K) can afford Roxbury Latin with aid. They cannot afford Wellesley.
If you're worried about elitism, the expensive public district is the more elitist choice.
At least private schools offer:
• Merit-based admission (not wealth-based zoning)
• Need-blind financial aid
• Socioeconomic diversity through aid programs
Wellesley requires $1.65M in liquidity or creditworthiness—that's the definition of economic exclusion.
A teacher's family (household income $120K) can afford Roxbury Latin with aid. They cannot afford Wellesley.
If you're worried about elitism, the expensive public district is the more elitist choice.
🧠
Objection #2: 'Public School Diversity is Educational'
The counterargument: Wellesley public schools are 76.3% white.
Framingham public schools:
• 41% white
• 32% Hispanic
• 15% Asian
• 8% Black
• Significantly MORE diverse
If diversity matters educationally, Framingham public beats Wellesley public.
And if you choose private (BB&N: 43% students of color), you get curated socioeconomic diversity without sacrificing academic rigor.
The 'public school diversity' argument only works if you're comparing to homogenous private schools—which no longer exist at top tiers.
Framingham public schools:
• 41% white
• 32% Hispanic
• 15% Asian
• 8% Black
• Significantly MORE diverse
If diversity matters educationally, Framingham public beats Wellesley public.
And if you choose private (BB&N: 43% students of color), you get curated socioeconomic diversity without sacrificing academic rigor.
The 'public school diversity' argument only works if you're comparing to homogenous private schools—which no longer exist at top tiers.
🏡
Objection #3: 'I Want My Kids Educated With Neighborhood Friends'
Valid. This is a lifestyle preference, not a financial argument.
If walking to friends' houses and integrated neighborhood life matter more than $437K, own that choice.
But don't pretend it's about educational quality. You're buying community convenience, not better outcomes.
If walking to friends' houses and integrated neighborhood life matter more than $437K, own that choice.
But don't pretend it's about educational quality. You're buying community convenience, not better outcomes.
📉
Objection #4: 'Framingham Won't Appreciate Like Wellesley'
The data disagrees:
Framingham 5-year CAGR (2020-2025): 4.2%
Wellesley 5-year CAGR (2020-2025): 2.8%
Framingham outperformed by 50% over the recent cycle.
Why? Affordability-driven demand and baseline price compression.
Ultra-luxury towns are experiencing liquidity crises:
• Dover: 178 days on market (up from 18 YoY)
• Weston: 111 days on market
• Wellesley: Slowest market in 5 years
The $600K-$800K segment is where buyer demand concentrates. Wellesley's $1.65M median is increasingly illiquid.
Framingham 5-year CAGR (2020-2025): 4.2%
Wellesley 5-year CAGR (2020-2025): 2.8%
Framingham outperformed by 50% over the recent cycle.
Why? Affordability-driven demand and baseline price compression.
Ultra-luxury towns are experiencing liquidity crises:
• Dover: 178 days on market (up from 18 YoY)
• Weston: 111 days on market
• Wellesley: Slowest market in 5 years
The $600K-$800K segment is where buyer demand concentrates. Wellesley's $1.65M median is increasingly illiquid.
💔
Objection #5: 'This Analysis Makes Me Feel Bad About My Choice'
That's the point. Not to shame—but to surface the real decision you're making.
If you choose Wellesley after seeing this math, you're choosing consciously. You know you're paying $437K for:
• Social comfort
• Network effects
• Daily convenience
• Resale protection
• Status signaling
That's a valid adult decision.
What's not valid is pretending it's the financially rational educational choice.
Own your priorities.
If you choose Wellesley after seeing this math, you're choosing consciously. You know you're paying $437K for:
• Social comfort
• Network effects
• Daily convenience
• Resale protection
• Status signaling
That's a valid adult decision.
What's not valid is pretending it's the financially rational educational choice.
Own your priorities.
🎯Part VII: How to Actually Make This Decision
Here's your step-by-step process for evaluating this trade-off in your specific situation.
🧮
Step 1: Calculate Your 18-Year Total Cost (Both Scenarios)
1. Input your target expensive district and cheaper alternative
2. Calculate 18-year total cost: mortgage, taxes, insurance, maintenance
3. Add private school tuition to cheaper scenario ($40K-$60K/year × years of exposure)
4. Calculate opportunity cost: invest price differential at 6-7% over 18 years
5. Compare net costs after property appreciation
Use our calculator to run your numbers:
18-Year Education Cost Calculator →
2. Calculate 18-year total cost: mortgage, taxes, insurance, maintenance
3. Add private school tuition to cheaper scenario ($40K-$60K/year × years of exposure)
4. Calculate opportunity cost: invest price differential at 6-7% over 18 years
5. Compare net costs after property appreciation
Use our calculator to run your numbers:
18-Year Education Cost Calculator →
🎭
Step 2: Honestly Rank What You're Buying
Rank these 1-7 by importance to YOU (not what you think you should say):
1. Educational outcomes (test scores, college placement)
2. Social network / neighborhood connections
3. Daily convenience (no driving vs. car commutes)
4. Resale value protection / financial safety
5. Status signaling / peer validation
6. Community integration (kids + neighbors)
7. Financial optimization / lowest total cost
If 'educational outcomes' ranks #1-2 AND 'financial optimization' ranks #1-3: Private school math favors you.
If 'social network,' 'convenience,' or 'status' ranks #1-2: Expensive public district is probably your authentic choice.
1. Educational outcomes (test scores, college placement)
2. Social network / neighborhood connections
3. Daily convenience (no driving vs. car commutes)
4. Resale value protection / financial safety
5. Status signaling / peer validation
6. Community integration (kids + neighbors)
7. Financial optimization / lowest total cost
If 'educational outcomes' ranks #1-2 AND 'financial optimization' ranks #1-3: Private school math favors you.
If 'social network,' 'convenience,' or 'status' ranks #1-2: Expensive public district is probably your authentic choice.
🚪
Step 3: Visit 3 Private Schools Before Deciding
You've toured 15 open houses in Wellesley. Have you visited Roxbury Latin, Nobles, or BC High?
Most families make $1M+ housing decisions without spending 2 hours touring the alternative.
Tour private schools BEFORE buying. You might discover:
• Financial aid you didn't know existed
• Outcomes that exceed your public school assumptions
• Cultural fit you didn't expect
• Deal-breakers that confirm public school preference
Schedule tours and open houses at Boston-area private schools.
Most families make $1M+ housing decisions without spending 2 hours touring the alternative.
Tour private schools BEFORE buying. You might discover:
• Financial aid you didn't know existed
• Outcomes that exceed your public school assumptions
• Cultural fit you didn't expect
• Deal-breakers that confirm public school preference
Schedule tours and open houses at Boston-area private schools.
🔬
Step 4: The Regret Minimization Framework
Imagine yourself at age 60, looking back:
Scenario A: You bought in Wellesley. Your kids are adults. Did the $437K premium deliver something irreplaceable, or could that money have funded their business, down payment, or your retirement?
Scenario B: You bought in Framingham + private school. Your kids are adults with elite education, and you have $437K more net worth. Did you miss something essential about neighborhood integration?
Scenario C: You bought in Medfield/Hopkinton (9.0/10 public schools, $950K). You kept the tuition AND the housing premium savings. Did you sacrifice any status that mattered in hindsight?
Whichever scenario creates the least regret at age 60 is your answer.
Scenario A: You bought in Wellesley. Your kids are adults. Did the $437K premium deliver something irreplaceable, or could that money have funded their business, down payment, or your retirement?
Scenario B: You bought in Framingham + private school. Your kids are adults with elite education, and you have $437K more net worth. Did you miss something essential about neighborhood integration?
Scenario C: You bought in Medfield/Hopkinton (9.0/10 public schools, $950K). You kept the tuition AND the housing premium savings. Did you sacrifice any status that mattered in hindsight?
Whichever scenario creates the least regret at age 60 is your answer.
💎Part VIII: The Truth We're All Avoiding
The private school math isn't just about money. It's about admitting what we're actually buying when we pay premiums for 'top school districts.'
🎯
What You're Really Buying
When you pay $1.65M for Wellesley instead of $600K for Framingham + private school, you are NOT buying:
• Better educational outcomes (private schools win)
• Higher college placement rates (private schools win)
• Smaller class sizes (private schools win)
• More individualized attention (private schools win)
• Better peer quality control (private schools win)
You ARE buying:
• The ability to say 'we live in Wellesley' without explanation
• Neighborhood network effects and embedded social capital
• Daily convenience (bus vs. 50-minute daily car commutes)
• Resale value stability in downturns
• Protection from having to justify your choices
• Cultural alignment with high-achieving peers
• Community integration where school = neighborhood
All of these are valid. Just be honest about what you're choosing.
• Better educational outcomes (private schools win)
• Higher college placement rates (private schools win)
• Smaller class sizes (private schools win)
• More individualized attention (private schools win)
• Better peer quality control (private schools win)
You ARE buying:
• The ability to say 'we live in Wellesley' without explanation
• Neighborhood network effects and embedded social capital
• Daily convenience (bus vs. 50-minute daily car commutes)
• Resale value stability in downturns
• Protection from having to justify your choices
• Cultural alignment with high-achieving peers
• Community integration where school = neighborhood
All of these are valid. Just be honest about what you're choosing.
If you do the math and still choose the expensive public district, that's fine. You're an adult making an informed trade-off. But if you do the math and feel trapped—trapped by peer pressure, by family expectations, by fear of being different—this analysis is permission to choose differently.
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The Bottom Line: Math vs. Meaning
The math favors Framingham + private school by $437K over 18 years.
The meaning might favor Wellesley public schools if network, convenience, and status matter more to you than money.
There's no universally correct answer. There's only the answer that aligns with YOUR priorities after you've done the math honestly.
Most families never do the math. They choose the expensive public district by default, then rationalize backward.
You've now done the math. Whatever you choose next is a conscious decision, not a default.
The meaning might favor Wellesley public schools if network, convenience, and status matter more to you than money.
There's no universally correct answer. There's only the answer that aligns with YOUR priorities after you've done the math honestly.
Most families never do the math. They choose the expensive public district by default, then rationalize backward.
You've now done the math. Whatever you choose next is a conscious decision, not a default.
📚Related Analysis
- •Elite K-12 Districts Competitive Analysis: Wellesley vs. Lexington vs. Hopkinton
- •The Dover-Lite Arbitrage: Elite Schools at 52% Off
- •School District Prestige Premium Myth: Why You're Overpaying
- •Town Comparison Decision Framework: Data-Driven Town Selection
- •Best School Districts Under $1M: Elite Quality Without Premium Pricing
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Methodology & Disclaimer
This analysis uses November 2025 median home prices from Zillow, current private school tuition rates, 7% mortgage rates, and 3% annual home appreciation assumptions. Your actual costs will vary based on specific properties, mortgage terms, and market timing.
Private school financial aid can significantly reduce effective tuition costs—38% of Roxbury Latin families receive aid, many with household incomes exceeding $200K.
Property tax rates: Wellesley 1.01%, Framingham 1.22% (2025 estimates). Investment return assumptions (6-7%) are conservative historical averages but not guaranteed.
This is educational analysis, not financial advice. Consult licensed financial advisors and tax professionals for your specific situation.
Private school financial aid can significantly reduce effective tuition costs—38% of Roxbury Latin families receive aid, many with household incomes exceeding $200K.
Property tax rates: Wellesley 1.01%, Framingham 1.22% (2025 estimates). Investment return assumptions (6-7%) are conservative historical averages but not guaranteed.
This is educational analysis, not financial advice. Consult licensed financial advisors and tax professionals for your specific situation.
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