Living in Boston, MA
Major city in Massachusetts
Boston is a major city in Massachusetts, home to about 664,000 people, with 3.5 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, you can walk or take transit almost everywhere. Life moves at a very fast pace, and homes are mostly apartments.
In short: Walkable and historic, packed with universities, healthcare and biotech. Expensive, with real winters.
Is Boston a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Strong healthcare: 13 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
- Easy flying: BOS is 5 mi away
- Highly educated: 54% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher, and 9 research universities are within 31 mi
- Lots of culture: museums, zoos and attractions nearby
👎 Cons
- Cloudier than most places
- Pricey housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $800k, and rent is $3,530 a month
- Higher taxes: about $3,502 state income tax per resident, 0.61% property tax
- Fewer family amenities than most places
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Boston ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in Boston: common questions
What is the cost of living in Boston?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $800k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $3,530 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are above the US average (index 108, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Boston?
Massachusetts collects about $3,502 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.61% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Boston safe?
Violent crime is somewhat above the national rate (1.6× in FBI 2019 data).
What is the weather like in Boston?
Boston has cold winters: winter days average around 40°F and summer days around 82°F, with roughly 49″ of snow a year.
Does Boston get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding, hurricanes and earthquakes: 11 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.23 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Boston?
The nearest major airport is BOS, about 5 mi away.
How Boston scores
Each bar compares Boston with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).
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Is Boston right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.