The 9 Best Neighborhoods to Live in Boston

Boston is mostly known for its historical importance, prestigious colleges, and seafood & beer combos. It's the perfect blend of next-gen knowledge and history-book-making architecture.

Although there's a high turnover in the city mainly due to the students, Boston still manages a close-knit community and small-town feel—in the right places. Once you find the neighborhood that's good for you, you'll see that it's worth its expensive price tag.

With world-renowned colleges like Harvard, MIT, Berklee school of music, and Boston University, there are many cutting-edge startups spicing up the job market for graduates.

As one of the country's most walkable cities and one with a freezing cold winter, finding the right location is paramount. You really don't want to be walking three miles to the office in the below zero January temps.

If you're considering moving to this historic corner of the States, you'll need to know which area has the right vibe and a price tag worth your budget.

To help you find the perfect neighborhood–one where its people are warm and the beer is cold–we've put together a comprehensive list of nine to consider. Even better, we've built a ranking system for each one to make this decision feel like a walk through Boston Commons:

• Atmosphere: nightlife & entertainment, shopping & restaurants, and beauty & parks

• Amenities: schools, public transit, and points of interest

• Experience: safety, affordability, and walkability

The result is a prioritized list of the best places to move to in Boston, Massachusetts.

Why should you listen to us? We might not have as much history as Boston, but we sure have plenty of experience with our top-ranked rentals across the US.

Perfect for young professionals that want to have a great skyline view of Boston–and save a little along the way.

East Boston, nicknamed Eastie, is an up-and-coming neighborhood with a great view of the city and the Atlantic ocean. Although it has one little problem–the noise from the airport can sometimes make for a turbulent night if you're a light sleeper. Thankfully, some great Latino bars drown out the noise with Salsa and Reggaeton.

The best thing about this area is the view. You'll get to experience the Boston skyline as no other place can. Additionally, the proximity to Logan airport makes it ideal for those bitten by the wanderlust bug–just a few minutes in the car, and the world is yours.

East Boston only gets three out of five in our Shopping and Restaurant category. Although you can find plenty of good restaurants–like Santarpio's Pizza, winner of numerous awards–you may want to go someplace else if you're looking to shop. Thankfully, Downtown is just over the bridge.

East Boston's waterfront is one to discover. The Constitution Beach, for swimming; the East Boston's Belle Isle Marsh Reservation, great for wildlife viewing; and the Piers Park Sailing Center, great for swimming, sailing, and scuba diving. Experience the Boston seaside at its finest–ahoy!

Consider East Boston if you love pizza, skyline views, and a stroll or two. However, be ready to have a car as public transport is not that great–it gets an average of three out of five in our Public Transit category.

East Boston is a place to consider if you're looking for an area with solid promise but where prices have not caught on just yet.

East Boston's Rankings:

Weighted rankings were determined by scoring neighborhoods on a scale of 1-5 in the following categories, with 5 being the best.

• Affordability: 💸 💸 💸 💸 💸

• Beauty & Parks: 🌳 🌳 🌳

• Nightlife & Entertainment: 🎉

• Points of Interest: 📍📍

• Public Transit: 🚃 🚃 🚃

• Safety: ✅ ✅ ✅

• Schools: 🍎 🍎

• Shopping & Restaurants: 🛍 🛍 🛍

• Walkability:🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️

Charlestown is known for Good Will Hunting, The Town, Fallout 4, and Assassin's Creed 3. However, and more importantly, it's mostly known for its historical importance. The Battle of Bunker Hill, one of the first ones in the American Revolutionary War, was battled in this Bostonian neighborhood in 1775.

In Boston's oldest neighborhood, you'll get to see the Bunker Hill Monument, the USS Constitution, the Charlestown Navy Yard, and the S.t Mary-St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church. However, it's also a very lively area with great shops and restaurants and the oldest bar in the city–the Warren Tavern. This all gives it a three out of five in Points of Interest; there's plenty. Still, its primarily historic attractions are not something you'll visit too often once you live there.

There's no need for a car, only great sneakers since it scores a perfect five in both Public Transit and Walkability categories. Thanks to the Orange Line, you'll have excellent access to The Hub–this is what Bostonians call Downtown–and other parts of the city.

Charlestown's welcoming community goes well with its fantastic blend of historic, brick wood-frame antique townhouses and renovated luxurious, modern waterfront homes. Thanks to its waterfront views and green spaces scattered around the neighborhood, it gets a nearly perfect five in our Beauty and Parks score.

Whether you're a family looking for good schools, a quiet and accessible area, or a history fanatic, Charlestown should be a place to consider.

Charlestown's Rankings:

Weighted rankings were determined by scoring neighborhoods on a scale of 1-5 in the following categories, with 5 being the best.

• Affordability: 💸 💸 💸

• Beauty & Parks: 🌳 🌳 🌳 🌳

• Nightlife & Entertainment: 🎉 🎉 🎉

• Points of Interest: 📍📍📍

• Public Transit: 🚃 🚃 🚃 🚃 🚃

• Safety: ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅

• Schools: 🍎 🍎 🍎

• Shopping & Restaurants: 🛍 🛍 🛍 🛍

• Walkability:🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️

Perfect for students, young professionals, and families wanting to enjoy the artsy side of Boston.

Jamaica Plain, or JP, as the cool people call it, is one of America's first streetcar suburbs. However, today its streets are full of Converse, bicycles, and Subarus.

Whether you're looking for some of the best thrift shops in Boston or just looking for an artsy spot to hang out, JP's got you. The area's main hub is Center Street–a place worthy of a four out of five in our Shopping and Restaurant score.

Tired of all that Bostonian Lobster? Sweeten your palate with some delicious dairy delicacies from JP Licks, serving Bostonians' favorite ice cream since 1981. Too cold for ice cream? Then head over to the birthplace of Samuel Adams, the Samuel Adams Brewery, and have a beer–or two.

JP is a welcoming neighborhood for the bohemians and freethinkers. Think piercings, brightly colored hair, and tattoos are JP's vibe. The community is very close-knit, and events are happening throughout the year. Music festivals, farmers' markets, and yoga and meditation classes are typical weekend activities you'll experience living here.

Besides the colorful street art, there's also plenty of greenery. In fact, it's one of the greenest neighborhoods in Boston. After all, it's surrounded by some of Boston's famous Emerald Necklace parks: Olmstead, Jamaica Pond, and Franklin Parks. This gives it a perfect score in our Beauty and Parks category. These parks are excellent places to de-stress and jog off those extra calories from the Boston cream pies.

JP's public parks and eclectic vibe don't go unnoticed. Each year more young professionals move in, causing some prices to increase. This gives it only a two out of five in our Affordability category.

If you're looking for a diverse and inclusive community, plentiful public parks, and charming Victorian architecture, Jamaica Plain has your name tattooed on its arm with a little heart next to it.

Jamaica Plain's Rankings:

Weighted rankings were determined by scoring neighborhoods on a scale of 1-5 in the following categories, with 5 being the best.

• Affordability: 💸 💸

• Beauty & Parks: 🌳 🌳 🌳 🌳 🌳

• Nightlife & Entertainment: 🎉 🎉 🎉 🎉

• Points of Interest: 📍📍📍📍

• Public Transit: 🚃 🚃 🚃 🚃 🚃

• Safety: ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅

• Schools: 🍎 🍎 🍎

• Shopping & Restaurants: 🛍 🛍 🛍 🛍

• Walkability:🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️

Perfect for students and young professionals that work in Boston or Cambridge but want a more relaxed life.

Known by many as the Intellectual Capital of the World, Cambridge offers a fantastic small-town feel without sacrificing the convenience of big city living.

This area is home to some of the most educated Americans, which helps foster the residents' overall progressive, liberal, and civic-minded focus. Cambridge boasts a diverse population, with about 30% of its residents born outside of the US.

With city laws promoting clean energy, mass transit, cycling, and walking, this neighborhood scores a perfect 5 on Public Transit and Walkability. Although Cambridge is very well-connected to the surrounding areas if you opt to take a car during rush hour, prepare your podcasts because you'll be sitting in some of the heaviest traffic in the country.

Cambridge has over 600 restaurants, bars, and cafes– a dream come true for foodies, coffee connoisseurs, and anyone looking to find their new favorite eatery. Check out some local favorites, including the breakfast menu at Mamaleh's Delicatessen, the cocktail menu at Gustazo's Cuban Kitchen and Bar, and the irresistible, Eastern Mediterranean house-made desserts at Oleana's.

The excellent schools in the area and a 5-star Safety rating highlight this neighborhood as the perfect place to explore, relax, or enjoy the outdoors. Take your pick from one of the 16 public parks and open spaces in the area, or join the locals at North Point Park for the best view of Boston at night. With a great location on the Charles River, throughout the year, you can enjoy boating, rowing, and fun events such as the Head of the Charles Rowing Competition and the Dragon Boat Festival.

This highly walkable, diverse, and progressive area is a great place to live, work, and enjoy life…just be prepared to pay for it!

Cambridge's Rankings:

Weighted rankings were determined by scoring neighborhoods on a scale of 1-5 in the following categories, with 5 being the best.

• Affordability: 💸 💸

• Beauty & Parks: 🌳 🌳 🌳 🌳 🌳

• Nightlife & Entertainment: 🎉 🎉

• Points of Interest: 📍📍📍📍

• Public Transit: 🚃 🚃 🚃 🚃 🚃

• Safety: ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅

• Schools: 🍎 🍎 🍎 🍎 🍎

• Shopping & Restaurants: 🛍 🛍 🛍 🛍

• Walkability:🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️

Perfect for young, single professionals and students looking for waterfront views and fine-dining.

South Boston, affectionately called Southie by the locals, is a traditional city neighborhood with easy access to the waterfront. It's a classic Boston feel with a smooth commute to downtown and a rapidly growing community.

Well-known for their strong traditions and devotion to sports teams, be prepared for loyalty, pride, and lots and lots of drinking. Celebrations are taken very seriously, including the famous St. Patrick's Day Parade, which transforms the neighborhood and draws visitors from all over the city and state!

This area has great public transportation and plenty of places to walk, including multiple beaches right in the city. This is the perfect place for nature-lovers, families, and athletes alike, all while having the convenience of getting to downtown in about 15 minutes.

One of the best parts about Southie is the incredible selection of intercultural bars and restaurants. Get ready to eat your way through a spectacular variety of cuisine as you check out some of the classic staples of South Boston.

Whether you're eating the giant steak and cheese sub at Rondo's Sub shop, hanging out with the locals on Friday night at the Lincoln Tavern and Pub, drinking a margarita and trying the gluten-free menu at Loco Taqueria or enjoying a fantastic Italian dinner at Capo, you won't run out of options to try.

Southie is a densely populated area and only seems to be growing! The incredible waterfront, the expansive dining scene, the strong sense of community, and the low crime rates make it hard to find affordable housing. This neighborhood has a huge draw for young professionals and young families looking for a charming mix of tradition and innovation.

South Boston's Rankings:

Weighted rankings were determined by scoring neighborhoods on a scale of 1-5 in the following categories, with 5 being the best.

• Affordability: 💸 💸

• Beauty & Parks: 🌳 🌳 🌳 🌳

• Nightlife & Entertainment: 🎉 🎉 🎉

• Points of Interest: 📍📍📍📍📍

• Public Transit: 🚃 🚃 🚃 🚃

• Safety: ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅

• Schools: 🍎 🍎 🍎 🍎

• Shopping & Restaurants: 🛍 🛍 🛍 🛍 🛍

• Walkability:🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️

Perfect for students, young families and professionals looking for a more peaceful lifestyle.

Somerville is known as one of the coolest suburbs in America with an endearing charm, a rich history, and a growing, active community.

It is one of the most densely populated areas in New England, located just to the north of Boston and Cambridge. Similar to most areas in Boston, there has been a huge influx of people into the area in recent years, and consequently, housing prices have risen drastically.

However, even with the rapidly growing population, Somerville has maintained much of its historic charm in its unique urban-suburban feel.

Make sure not to miss some incredible events. You've got Porchfest–a free roving music festival held on front porches, movies at the Somerville Theatre, and the What the Fluff festival–a festival created to celebrate the invention of marshmallow fluff by a Somerville resident. Somerville is a community that appreciates culture, supporting artists, buying local, thrifting, and great food.

Whether you're hitting up some old-school favorite spots like Leone's Sub Shop and Victor's Deli, or checking out the giant slide at Chuckie Harris Park—a place that both kids and adults love, or hitting up the Museum of Bad Art located in the basement of the Somerville Theatre, you will fall in love with the quirky charm of Somerville.

Good public transportation, a perfect score in walkability, numerous parks, excellent schools, and a very safe community–what more could you ask for?

Somerville's Rankings:

Weighted rankings were determined by scoring neighborhoods on a scale of 1-5 in the following categories, with 5 being the best.

• Affordability: 💸 💸 💸

• Beauty & Parks: 🌳 🌳 🌳 🌳 🌳

• Nightlife & Entertainment: 🎉 🎉 🎉

• Points of Interest: 📍📍📍📍

• Public Transit: 🚃 🚃 🚃 🚃

• Safety: ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅

• Schools: 🍎 🍎 🍎 🍎 🍎

• Shopping & Restaurants: 🛍 🛍 🛍 🛍

• Walkability:🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️

Perfect for young professionals looking to live just a few streets away from Downtown.

Finally, at the top three, let's go! Beacon Hill is one of Boston's oldest neighborhoods. Thanks to the narrow cobblestone streets, federal-style row houses, and gaslit streets, it still holds its historic charm. If the area's affordability were only due to Beacon Hill, it would be one of the most expensive areas in Boston and Massachusetts.

However, the West End was unfortunate enough to be one of the 'beneficiaries' of the Urban Renewal from the 50s and 60s. This makes the overall area reasonably affordable and adaptable to almost anyone's budget.

The best feature about this area is its location, directly at the heart of Boston. In it, you'll find the Museum of African American History as part of the Black Freedom Trail. There's also the Hatch Memorial Shell, Boston City Hall, Museum of Science, Charles Hayden Planetarium, and plenty of other important attractions, museums, and galleries.

In terms of nightlife and entertainment, although you'll find theaters, cinemas and bars, be ready to be home earlier than you might be used to. Bostonians seem to like working and studying hard, but not so much playing hard–at least not after 2 am. This lack of the usually vibrant and lively big-city nightlife gives it a three out of five in our Nightlife and Entertainment scores.

For the sports lovers, there's the Sports Museum. The perfect place to bring your family when they come visiting, it's guaranteed to be fun for the entire family. There's also the Lederman Park for you to awaken your inner Steven Brown's baseball skills–let's go, Red Sox!

On the edge of Beacon Hill, there's the Boston Common, a history and greenery-rich urban park that hosted British troops during the American revolution. This and the many other parks and greenery you'll find in the area–and the river Charles' views–give it a perfect score in Beauty and Parks.

There are also plenty of boutique shops and some of the best restaurants in the city. Although most will come at a price–but hey, there's nothing like eating some red lobster and having a pint of Sam's in Beacon Hill overlooking the Charles River. It'll be worth every cent.

Beacon Hill & West End's Rankings:

Weighted rankings were determined by scoring neighborhoods on a scale of 1-5 in the following categories, with 5 being the best.

• Affordability: 💸 💸 💸

• Beauty & Parks: 🌳 🌳 🌳 🌳 🌳

• Nightlife & Entertainment: 🎉 🎉 🎉

• Points of Interest: 📍📍📍📍📍

• Public Transit: 🚃 🚃 🚃 🚃 🚃

• Safety: ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅

• Schools: 🍎 🍎 🍎 🍎

• Shopping & Restaurants: 🛍 🛍 🛍 🛍

• Walkability:🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️

Perfect for students and young professionals wanting to live the Bostonian lifestyle without the price tag.

The hip vibe, the proximity to Downtown, and the affordable prices make these two neighborhoods our top two in Boston.

Brighton and Allston's easy access to Boston University, Boston College, and Emmanuel College make it ideal for students. It's also one of Boston's safest areas. Which, by Boston's standards, means you can basically drop your wallet on the street, and not only will it be returned, but you'll have an extra ten bucks in it–that safe.

Impressively enough, safety and proximity to Downtown have not made these neighborhoods expensive. It gets a solid four out of five in our affordability score.

When students aren't at uni, and worker bees aren't buzzing, there's plenty of cool stuff to do in Allston-Brighton. For starters, the Brighton Music Hall brings amazing talented bands that fill up its 400+ venue. There's also the Harvard Stadium, where you can experience some wild crowds. If none of that sounds like your thing, head over to the Metropolitan Waterworks Museum to learn about the first metro water system.

The Christian Herter Park is ideal for training for the Boston marathon, with the Charles River as your supportive partner running along your side.

Allston's known for having some of the best food in the city. There are A+ Korean restaurants and plenty of Instagram-worthy lunch spots–deliciously deserving of a perfect score in our Shopping and Restaurant category.

Brighton has the attractions, Allston has the vibe. Together, these two neighborhoods create the perfect atmosphere for students and young professionals to find a great place to call home–without breaking the piggy bank.

Brighton & Allston's Rankings:

Weighted rankings were determined by scoring neighborhoods on a scale of 1-5 in the following categories, with 5 being the best.

• Affordability: 💸 💸 💸 💸

• Beauty & Parks: 🌳 🌳 🌳 🌳

• Nightlife & Entertainment: 🎉 🎉 🎉 🎉

• Points of Interest: 📍📍📍📍📍

• Public Transit: 🚃 🚃 🚃

• Safety: ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅

• Schools: 🍎 🍎 🍎 🍎

• Shopping & Restaurants: 🛍 🛍 🛍 🛍 🛍

• Walkability:🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️

Perfect for students, and young and single professionals that want to live close to Downtown–even better for Red Sox fans.

Ah, here we are, the 'wicked' best of Boston neighborhoods: Fenway and Kenmore. These neighborhoods used to be all about Fenway Park–home to the Red Sox–and a few bars. However, in the last few years, it has become a true cultural and entertainment hub of the city.

A mix of new luxury buildings and historic ones give new residents a variety of prices to fit all budgets. Thanks to baseball fans and college students, you'll always find great grub at a reasonable price. This gives this area a three out of five in our Affordability score.

Besides all the fun you can have in Fenway, there's also one of the top Massachusetts schools: the Boston Latin School. If you're planning on having kids, this school might be worth checking out.

You have plenty of other cultural offers to make your Sunday strolls just that bit more interesting. There's the Museum of Fine Arts, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, the Mary Baker Eddy Library, the Massachusetts Historical Societal, and plenty more we'll let you discover on your own.

The Beauty and Parks category gets a perfect five thanks to the Fenway Park, the Riverway I park, and the extensive Back Bay Fens full of ponds, lakes, and a delightful rose garden–Valentine's day stroll?

The one thing you'll need to consider about this area is the noise from Fenway Park. The roaring stadium on a game night is not something you can just ignore. Baseball fans will be thrilled, but if that's not really your crowd, you might want to consider another of our top neighborhoods in Boston.

Considering that the only below-perfect scores for this area are Affordability and Safety, it really is a place to consider calling home. Fenway and Kenmore bring the best of Boston into one place: history, academics, and sports–Donuts, seafood, and copious amounts of beer. What more can you ask for?

Fenway & Kenmore's Rankings:

Weighted rankings were determined by scoring neighborhoods on a scale of 1-5 in the following categories, with 5 being the best.

• Affordability: 💸 💸 💸

• Beauty & Parks: 🌳 🌳 🌳 🌳 🌳

• Nightlife & Entertainment: 🎉 🎉 🎉 🎉 🎉

• Points of Interest: 📍📍📍📍📍

• Public Transit: 🚃 🚃 🚃 🚃 🚃

• Safety: ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅

• Schools: 🍎 🍎 🍎 🍎 🍎

• Shopping & Restaurants: 🛍 🛍 🛍 🛍 🛍

• Walkability:🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️

Time to look at the numbers of our top neighborhoods in Boston, Massachusetts.

Let’s look at the lower numbers first. Affordability does a pretty average three out of five. Boston is expensive, but you can find things that suit almost anyone’s budget. What’s important to remember is that living in Boston saves you the need for a car, helping you ease your monthly spending. However, you’ll definitely need to budget in a few extra Dunkins for those cold winter days.

Nightlife and entertainment also receive an average of three out of four. There are things to do, bars, theaters, and museums, but as we mentioned before, nights end sooner than in most big cities.

Now, let’s look at the highlights. Beauty and Parks, Safety and walkability all score above 4.4 out of five.

Boston averaged at 39.4/50 on our best neighborhoods to live in the USA ranking.

Despite having a rep for not being the most affordable and only a student city, Boston is a treat for anyone that decides to call this place their home. Being surrounded by one of the most important cities in the US, where history continues to be written by all the great minds in the area, is truly worth the price tag.

If you’ve ever wanted to live in one of America’s most iconic areas, love to feel like you’re inside a history book, and want to be at the center of one of the world’s most notorious hubs of knowledge, then Boston could be the place for you.