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Living in
Boston.
About
Life in Boston
The city's economy is anchored by real opportunity: it's the world's largest biotechnology hub, home to nearly 5,000 startups, and a global center for innovation in AI and entrepreneurship, so if you work in those fields or related industries, the professional ecosystem here is legitimately hard to beat. Weather is the honest trade-off you need to think through: winters are cold and stormy with an average of 49 inches of snow per season, though snowfall varies wildly year to year, and you'll see about 25 days per year below freezing. Summers are warm and humid but mercifully short—July averages 74 degrees.
Boston at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
33.3 yrs
Poverty Rate
16.6%
Foreign-Born
27.8%
Broadband Internet
92.0%
of households
Population Growth
-0.8%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics27.8% foreign-born, most often from Dominican Republic
Who lives in Boston: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Boston, the largest foreign-born group is from Dominican Republic (12.8%), and 15.4% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
15.1%
of residents
65 and Older
13.0%
of residents
Households with Kids
19.7%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
37.2%
of households
Married Couples
27.6%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.19
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 22% above MA average
Rent, home values, and income in Boston
In Boston, rent runs 22% above the MA average, and home values are 30% above the MA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
48.6%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
24.0%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
108.3
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$4,456
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
35.7%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1947
median year built
Vacant Homes
8.8%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $761,236 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for MA
Unemployment in Boston
Unemployment in Boston is close to the MA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Boston Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute30.3 min avg
How Boston residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Boston, most residents drive alone to work (33%), and 49% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 3 mi
Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)
Major hub21.0M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 77% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Boston runs 77% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
583.2
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,928.8
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Boston Police Department
Natural DisastersStrong Wind most common — 5 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
93.5 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Suffolk County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Suffolk County, which includes Boston, the most common type is strong wind, with 5 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5 | Strong Wind | $5,500 |
| 2024 | 9 | Coastal Flood | $2,500 |
| 2023 | 12 | Flash Flood | $5,000 |
| 2022 | 14 | Strong Wind | $12,600 |
| 2021 | 15 | High Wind | $95,200 |
| 2020 | 25 | Strong Wind | $6,100 |
| 2019 | 18 | Strong Wind | $64,100 |
| 2018 | 29 | Strong Wind | $49,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Suffolk County, county-wide
Air Quality37 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Suffolk County, which includes Boston, is typically good — 279 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
37
Good Days
279
per year
Moderate Days
84
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Suffolk County, county-wide
Climate80°F summers, 26°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Boston has mild summers (avg high 80°F) and cold winters (avg low 26°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
56°/41°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
80°/64°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
62°/48°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
39°/26°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
43.6"
Annual Snowfall
49.2"
Hot Days/Year
14
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
92
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
128
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 37°F | 23°F | 3.39" |
| Feb | 39°F | 25°F | 3.21" |
| Mar | 46°F | 31°F | 4.17" |
| Apr | 56°F | 41°F | 3.63" |
| May | 67°F | 50°F | 3.25" |
| Jun | 76°F | 60°F | 3.89" |
| Jul | 82°F | 66°F | 3.27" |
| Aug | 80°F | 65°F | 3.23" |
| Sep | 73°F | 58°F | 3.56" |
| Oct | 62°F | 48°F | 4.03" |
| Nov | 52°F | 38°F | 3.66" |
| Dec | 42°F | 29°F | 4.30" |
Healthcare16 hospitals, avg 3.9/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Boston
Boston has 16 hospitals, averaging 3.9 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
16
within city limits
Uninsured
2.9%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.9 / 5
Massachusetts General Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
New England Baptist Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Brigham and Women Faulkner Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Cambridge Health Alliance
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.3 mi away · Cambridge
Arbour Human Resource Institute
Psychiatric · 5.5 mi away · Brookline
Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital - Milton
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.3 mi away · Milton
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs. Campus locations © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Education10.6:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Boston
Boston's student/teacher ratio is 10.6:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 54.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
130
within city limits
Private Schools
44
within city limits
College Degree Rate
54.9%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
10.6:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Boston
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 18,248 students · in-state tuition $71,372 · 89% graduate · median earnings $89,087 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 17,326 students · in-state tuition $69,289 · 91% graduate · median earnings $99,371 (10 yrs after entry)
University of Massachusetts-Boston
Public · 4-year · 11,512 students · in-state tuition $16,558 · 62% graduate · median earnings $70,597 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 8,612 students · in-state tuition $6,288 · 22% graduate · median earnings $51,734 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 7,468 students · in-state tuition $54,000 · 61% graduate · median earnings $43,451 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 4,268 students · in-state tuition $49,556 · 66% graduate · median earnings $75,345 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 3,870 students · in-state tuition $59,044 · 86% graduate · median earnings $67,317 (10 yrs after entry)
Wentworth Institute of Technology
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 3,747 students · in-state tuition $45,460 · 68% graduate · median earnings $94,995 (10 yrs after entry)
Nearby Colleges (within 15 miles)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 10,085 students · in-state tuition $73,508 · 91% graduate · median earnings $112,178 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 7,601 students · in-state tuition $64,796 · 98% graduate · median earnings $121,957 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 7,061 students · in-state tuition $73,616 · 94% graduate · median earnings $89,187 (10 yrs after entry)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
4.3 mi awayPrivate nonprofit · 4-year · 4,535 students · in-state tuition $64,730 · 97% graduate · median earnings $152,553 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 4,474 students · in-state tuition $63,390 · 89% graduate · median earnings $126,427 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 4-year · 4,291 students · in-state tuition $12,708 · 62% graduate · median earnings $62,762 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Boston African American National Historic Site, 3 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Boston
Boston has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Boston African American National Historic Site (3 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Boston African American National Historic Site
National Historic Site
3 mi awayBoston National Historical Park
National Historical Park
3 mi awayBoston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
4 mi awayAdams National Historical Park
National Historical Park
5 mi awayFrederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site
National Historic Site
6 mi awayJohn Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site
National Historic Site
6 mi awayLongfellow House Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site
National Historic Site
6 mi awaySaugus Iron Works National Historic Site
National Historic Site
9 mi awayPublic Libraries in Boston
Boston Public Library
700 Boylston Street, Boston
Adams Street Branch Library
690 Adams Street, Dorchester
Brighton Branch Library
40 Academy Hill Road, Brighton
Charlestown Branch Library
179 Main Street, Charlestown
Chinatown Branch Library
2 Boylston Street, Boston
Codman Square Branch Library
690 Washington Street, Dorchester
Connolly Branch Library
433 Centre Street, Jamaica Plain
East Boston Branch Library
365 Bremen Street, East Boston
Egleston Square Branch Library
2044 Columbus Avenue, Roxbury
Fields Corner Branch Library
1520 Dorchester Avenue, Dorchester
Grove Hall Branch Library
41 Geneva Ave., Dorchester
Honan-Allston Branch
300 North Harvard St., Allston
Compare Boston
Popular side-by-side matchups
Cities Near Boston
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Boston?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Boston FAQ
Is Boston, Massachusetts affordable?⌄
Boston's median rent is $2,147/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $97,344/year. Median home value is $731,700.
Is Boston, Massachusetts safe?⌄
Boston's violent crime rate was 583 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1929 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Boston, Massachusetts?⌄
Boston has an unemployment rate of 4.4%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Boston, Massachusetts?⌄
The cost of living in Boston is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,147/month and median household income is $97,344/year. The median home value is $731,700. About 49% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Boston, Massachusetts?⌄
The average commute in Boston is 30 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from