The Six Market Tiers of Greater Boston Real Estate: Where $2.5M in Weston Buys $450K in Brockton

Boston metro real estate operates across six distinct market tiers defined by median price, school quality, location prestige, and lifestyle amenities. Understanding segmentation explains why identical homes cost $2M more in Dover than Brockton—and reveals value gaps where buyers get Segment 4 quality at Segment 5 prices.

All Boston-area buyers navigating the $350K-$2.5M price spectrum who need to match their income, priorities, and life stage to the right market tier—and identify towns outperforming or underperforming their segment's typical price-to-quality ratio.

• •Segment 1 (Ultra-Elite): $1.5M+ medians, top 1% schools, generational wealth—Dover, Weston, Wellesley, Brookline
• •Segment 2 (Premium Coastal): $900K-$2M, waterfront lifestyle premium, seasonal dynamics—Hingham, Cohasset, Manchester
• •Segment 3 (Urban Core): Dense, transit-rich, $500K condos to $3M homes—Boston, Cambridge, Somerville
• •Segment 4 (Route 128 Belt): $700K-$1.2M, tech corridor, 90th percentile schools at 60th percentile metro pricing—Needham, Acton, Bedford
• •Segment 5 (Family Suburbs): $550K-$800K, middle-class stronghold, solid schools—Franklin, Melrose, Hanover
• •Segment 6 (Value/Gateway): $350K-$600K, transit access, affordability-focused—Lynn, Quincy, Brockton