10 Towns Where Your $1M Budget Gets You a Mansion vs. a Starter Home

Ten Greater Boston towns show dramatic value differences for $1M budgets. Groton ($1M = 4,500 sq ft, 1.2 acres) vs Newton ($1M = 1,500 sq ft, 0.15 acres) = 3x square footage, 8x lot size. Sharon ($1M = 3,200 sq ft, 0.8 acres), Hopkinton ($1M = 3,000 sq ft, 0.6 acres), and Acton ($1M = 2,800 sq ft, 0.5 acres) offer middle ground. Location matters more than price alone—$1M buys mansions in outer suburbs, starter homes in inner suburbs.

Homebuyers with $1M budgets, families comparing towns, anyone evaluating value differences, buyers choosing between space and location, people trying to understand what their budget actually buys.

• •$1M buys 4,500 sq ft mansions in outer suburbs (Groton, Pepperell) vs 1,500 sq ft starter homes in inner suburbs (Newton, Brookline)
• •Lot size differences: 1.2 acres (Groton) vs 0.15 acres (Newton) = 8x difference
• •Square footage differences: 3x more space in outer suburbs for same price
• •Commute trade-offs: 60+ min to Boston (outer suburbs) vs 20 min (inner suburbs)
• •School quality: Excellent schools available in both outer and inner suburbs
• •Value sweet spot: Sharon, Hopkinton, Acton offer 3,000 sq ft at $1M with 30-40 min commutes