🔬 Data Methodology & Transparency
Our Data Promise
Every town ranking, price analysis, and investment score on this platform is derived from real transaction data—not opinions, not marketing materials, not agent preferences.
📊 Primary Dataset
- Source:Zillow via Apify (verified MLS data)
- Records:9,550+ property sales (after deduplication)
- Coverage:185+ Massachusetts cities
- Timeframe:Past 6 months (updated October 2025)
- Criteria:3+ beds, 1.5+ baths, $700K+ sale price, no HOA
🏘️ Town Profile Metrics
Median Price
Calculated as the middle value of all sales in each town from our dataset. We use median (not average) to avoid skew from outlier luxury sales.
Price per Square Foot
Derived from actual sale prices divided by living area across all transactions in each town. Updated quarterly to reflect market conditions.
School Rating (1-10 scale)
Composite score from multiple public sources including:
- Massachusetts DESE school performance data
- Standardized test scores (MCAS)
- College matriculation rates
- Student-teacher ratios
Note: School ratings are point-in-time snapshots. Always verify current district performance before making decisions.
Commute Time (minutes)
Peak-hour driving time to downtown Boston (Financial District) using Google Maps API with 8:30 AM Monday arrival. Hybrid workers may experience 15-20% shorter times during off-peak hours.
Appreciation Potential (%)
Historical CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) calculated from:
- 5-year historical price trends (2020-2025)
- Transaction volume analysis
- Days-on-market velocity
- Price-to-list ratios
Important: Past performance does not guarantee future returns. Use as directional indicator, not prediction.
Investment Score (1-100)
Weighted composite formula:
- 40%:Appreciation potential (growth trajectory)
- 25%:School quality (drives demand & resale)
- 20%:Price value (entry barrier vs. median income)
- 15%:Market liquidity (days on market, volume)
🔄 Update Frequency
- Sales Data:Monthly refresh
- Price Metrics:Quarterly recalculation
- School Ratings:Annual review (September)
- Commute Times:Bi-annual validation
📝 Data Quality Standards
- ✅99%+ valid records (comprehensive address data)
- ✅Geographic coordinates for location analysis
- ✅Duplicate removal by Zillow Property ID (zpid)
- ✅Recency weighting (newer sales prioritized)
❓ Questions About Our Data?
We believe in radical transparency. If you have questions about how any metric is calculated, contact our research team at support@dwellchecker.app.
Start Exploring Our Data
Now that you understand our methodology, put it to work: