Places › Massachusetts › Newton

Living in Newton, MA

Suburb in Massachusetts

Newton is a suburb in Massachusetts, home to about 89,000 people, with 3.7 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, you can walk or take transit almost everywhere. Life moves at a fast pace, and homes are a mix of apartments and houses.

Is Newton a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Strong healthcare: 14 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
  • Highly educated: 81% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher, and 10 research universities are within 31 mi
  • Safe: violent crime is 0.1× the US rate (FBI 2019)
  • Easy flying: BOS is 11 mi away

👎 Cons

  • Higher taxes: about $3,502 state income tax per resident, 0.83% property tax
  • Pricey housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $1.27M, and rent is $3,530 a month
  • Cloudier than most places

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Newton ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
89,000
3.7 million within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
40°F / 82°F
Average daily highs · 46″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$1.27M
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$3,530/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
108
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$3,502
State income tax per resident · 0.83% property tax
Safety
0.1× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
11 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding
Top-rated hospitals
14
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Adults with a degree
81%
10 research universities within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
BOS
11 mi away

Living in Newton: common questions

What is the cost of living in Newton?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $1.27M, 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 Newton?

Massachusetts collects about $3,502 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.83% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Newton safe?

Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.1× in FBI 2019 data).

What is the weather like in Newton?

Newton has cold winters: winter days average around 40°F and summer days around 82°F, with roughly 46″ of snow a year.

Does Newton get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding: 11 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.14 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Newton?

The nearest major airport is BOS, about 11 mi away.

How Newton scores

Each bar compares Newton 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).

🏙️City size Big city Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quiet Urban Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting around Walk & transit Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or nature Strong culture scene Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️Climate Cold winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of living Very expensive Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️Pace Fast-paced Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝Community Friendly community AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡Housing Apartments & houses ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housing Poor
💸Low taxes Poor
💼Job market Excellent
🏥Healthcare Excellent
🎓Education Excellent
🧸Kids & family Excellent
🐕Dog-friendly Excellent
⛰️Outdoors Excellent
🎭Culture Excellent
🛡️Safety Very safe
🌪️Few natural disasters Excellent
☀️Sunny Poor
🌤️Mild summers Excellent
✈️Airport Excellent

Places like Newton

These places have the most similar overall profile across all 23 aspects.

Nearby

See all the best places to live in Massachusetts.

Is Newton right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

Take the free quiz →

Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.