What it's like to live in Boston
Boston is a major city in Massachusetts with household incomes running above the national average, a highly educated workforce, several well-rated hospitals, and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Boston deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, crime rates above the national average, and commute times longer than most cities.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Highly educated workforce
- Several well-rated hospitals
- Low student-teacher ratio
- Public transit that many commuters use
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Crime above national average
- Above-average commute times
- Cold winters
- Snowy winters — 49" per year
How Boston compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Boston
Based on Boston's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$4,294
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $85,880 a year
- 49% of Boston renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$146,340
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $73,170
- Homes cost 7.5× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 52% above US
$2,147/mo median rent
Rent is expensive here, at $2,147 a month median and well above the national average. This is the kind of city where housing costs deserve serious budgeting before committing to a move. Home prices are steep, with a median around $731,700. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $731,700 · 49% of renters cost-burdened
Job marketNear US average
4.4% unemployment
Unemployment here is 4.4%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 77% above US
583 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is worth weighing seriously here. Rates run above the national average, and while plenty of residents live comfortably, neighborhood selection matters a lot more than it does in a safer city.
Property crime 1929/100k · Boston Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 17% above US
30 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 30.3 minute average means plenty of commuters are pushing 45 to 60 minutes on a bad day. Proximity to work matters more here than it might elsewhere. 4 in 10 workers drive to work; 23% take public transit; 21% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are comfortable, with highs around 80°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 26°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
16 hospitals
There are 16 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 3.9 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 52% above US
55% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.
Schools
130 public schools inside the boundary
There are 130 public schools inside the boundary and 44 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Boston African American National Historic Site (3 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Boston's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and a highly educated workforce; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($2,147/mo) equals 26% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit remote workers (21% of workers here already work from home), people who would rather not drive, and college-educated professionals. It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget.