Boston, MA
Census place 2507000 · pop 666,442
Site of the 1773 Boston Tea Party and Paul Revere's ride; home of the oldest U.S. public park, Boston Common.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
35.7% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.53 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities
$3,454/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$731,700 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
630 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities
-2.6% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities
30 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities
2031 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
16.6% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
18.0% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities
93/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities
3.8% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities
92.0% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
23.2% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities
$97,344 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
10.7% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities
6.3% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.61% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities
0 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities
36 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
54.9% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
23.4% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
Frequently asked
- Is Boston, MA a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Boston scores 42/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is adult obesity and its weakest is homeownership. Massachusetts overall ranks #34 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Boston, MA?
- Boston reports 630 violent crimes per 100k and 2031 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Boston, MA expensive to live in?
- Boston has a median home value of $731,700 and typical rent around $3,454/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Boston, MA?
- Its weakest measured area is homeownership (35.7%) — 2/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Boston, MA best at?
- Its strongest measured area is adult obesity (23.4%) — 95/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: Site of the 1773 Boston Tea Party and Paul Revere's ride; home of the oldest U.S. public park, Boston Common.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.