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Beacon Hill rowhouses in Boston.

Living in Boston, Massachusetts

Boston is the capital of Massachusetts and the largest city in New England, built on a peninsula between the Charles River and Boston Harbor. It was settled by Puritan colonists in 1630 and incorporated as a city in 1822; land-filling projects between the 17th and late 19th centuries, including the filling of the Back Bay, more than tripled its original area. The city is organized into about two dozen distinct neighborhoods, each with its own commercial center, rather than a single downtown surrounded by suburbs.

Downtown / Financial DistrictBack BayBeacon HillNorth EndWest EndChinatownSouth EndSouth BostonEast BostonCharlestownFenway-KenmoreDorchesterRoxburyJamaica PlainAllstonBrightonHyde ParkMattapanRoslindaleWest Roxbury

By James Allen, NMLS 1216446 · Updated

Photo: Ian Howard, CC BY 2.5

Boston at a glance

Boston's villages and zip codes

Boston uses dozens of ZIP codes, generally one or more per neighborhood rather than one for the whole city.

Boston villages and zip codes
AreaZip codeWhere it is
Downtown / Financial District02108, 02109, 02110, 02111Boston's downtown core, including the Financial District, Government Center and Downtown Crossing; Boston City Hall is at 1 City Hall Square.
Back Bay02116A neighborhood of Victorian brownstones on land reclaimed from the Charles River basin, west of Boston Common along Commonwealth Avenue.
Beacon Hill02108A historic district of Federal-style rowhouses, narrow streets and brick sidewalks just north of Boston Common, home to the Massachusetts State House.
North End02113Boston's oldest residential neighborhood, on the Shawmut Peninsula near the harbor, known for its Italian restaurants and bakeries and for Old North Church.
West End02114A neighborhood of high-rise residential towers near North Station and Massachusetts General Hospital.
Chinatown02111A downtown district anchored by Asian restaurants, groceries and cultural institutions, near the Theater District.
South End02118A Victorian rowhouse district bordered by Back Bay, Chinatown and Roxbury; it holds the largest intact Victorian rowhouse district in the country.
South Boston02127A peninsula south and east of the Fort Point Channel, including the Seaport District's newer waterfront development; ZIP 02210 covers part of the Seaport.
East Boston02128A peninsula across Boston Harbor from downtown, reached by tunnel; Logan International Airport occupies much of its eastern side.
Charlestown02129A peninsula north of the Charles River and the oldest settlement in modern Boston, home to the Bunker Hill Monument and the Charlestown Navy Yard, where the USS Constitution is docked.
Fenway-Kenmore02115, 02215The neighborhood around Fenway Park, between Back Bay and Brookline.
Dorchester02122, 02124, 02125Boston's largest neighborhood by area, more than 6 square miles, annexed from the former town of Dorchester in 1870.
Roxbury02119, 02120, 02121One of the Massachusetts Bay Colony's original 1630 towns, annexed to Boston in 1868.
Jamaica Plain02130A former streetcar suburb built up in the 19th century, home to the Arnold Arboretum and Jamaica Pond, both part of the Emerald Necklace.
Allston02134A neighborhood along the Charles River bordering Cambridge, Brighton and the Fenway.
Brighton02135A former town in Boston's northwest corner, now home to Boston College's campus and New Balance's headquarters.
Hyde Park02136Boston's southernmost neighborhood, about 8 miles from downtown along the Neponset River valley, bordering Dedham and Milton.
Mattapan02126A neighborhood bounded by the Neponset River, with Blue Hill Avenue and Mattapan Square as its commercial center.
Roslindale02131A largely residential neighborhood about 6 miles south-southwest of downtown, centered on Roslindale Square; the Arnold Arboretum's southern edge extends into the area.
West Roxbury02132A residential neighborhood in Boston's southwest corner bordering Newton, Dedham and Needham, with Stony Brook Reservation and the VFW Parkway running through it.

Things to do in Boston, MA

Start with The Freedom Trail and Boston Common and Public Garden, then 4 more below.

  1. The Freedom Trail

    A 2.5-mile, red-brick-marked walking route linking 16 historic sites, from Boston Common to the Charlestown Navy Yard. Walking it is free; the Freedom Trail Foundation also runs paid guided tours in period costume.

    FreeYear-round

    Starts at Boston Common, 139 Tremont St

    Plan a visit

  2. Boston Common and Public Garden

    Boston Common, established in 1634, is the oldest park in the country and includes the Frog Pond for winter skating. It adjoins the Public Garden, a formal Victorian garden with the Swan Boats.

    FreeYear-round

    139 Tremont St, Boston, MA 02111

    Plan a visit

  3. Faneuil Hall Marketplace and Quincy Market

    A historic market complex built in 1824-1826 and designed by architect Alexander Parris, now a festival marketplace with more than 80 shops, restaurants and food stalls. It sits on the Freedom Trail near the State, Haymarket and Government Center MBTA stations.

    Year-round

    4 S Market St, Boston, MA 02109

    Plan a visit

  4. New England Aquarium

    A waterfront aquarium built around a multi-story Giant Ocean Tank, with exhibits on penguins, harbor seals and an Amazon rainforest habitat.

    Year-round

    1 Central Wharf, Boston, MA 02110

    Plan a visit

  5. Museum of Fine Arts

    One of the largest museums in the country, with collections spanning Egyptian, Greek and Roman antiquities, Asian and European art, and American art and photography.

    Year-round

    465 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115

    Plan a visit

  6. Charlestown Navy Yard and USS Constitution

    A former U.S. Navy shipyard on the Freedom Trail where the USS Constitution, the world's oldest commissioned warship still afloat, is docked and open for tours.

    FreeYear-round

    Charlestown Navy Yard, Boston, MA 02129

    Plan a visit

More worth a visit

  • Fenway Park toursTours of Major League Baseball's oldest ballpark, home of the Boston Red Sox since 1912.Website
  • Boston Public Library, Central BranchThe main branch in Copley Square, with its historic Bates Hall reading room, is open to the public free of charge.Website

Around the calendar

  • April
    Boston MarathonRun every year on the third Monday of April, Patriots' Day, finishing on Boylston Street near Copley Square after a 26.2-mile course from Hopkinton.
  • July
    Boston Pops Fireworks SpectacularA free Fourth of July concert by the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra on the Charles River Esplanade, followed by fireworks, running since 1974.
  • October
    Head of the Charles RegattaA three-day rowing regatta on the Charles River between Boston and Cambridge, held the penultimate complete weekend of October and billed as the largest three-day regatta in the world.

A little history

Boston was founded by Puritan colonists in 1630 on the Shawmut Peninsula and incorporated as a city in 1822.

The city was the site of the Boston Tea Party in 1773 and the Siege of Boston in 1775-1776 during the American Revolution.

Extensive land-filling between the 17th century and 1890, including the filling of the Back Bay with gravel carried by rail from Needham, more than tripled the city's original land area.

Parks, trails and outdoors in Boston

Boston's park system, much of it designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, runs from the harbor to the edge of Roxbury and Jamaica Plain.

  • Emerald NecklaceA roughly 1,100-acre chain of Olmsted-designed parks and parkways connecting Boston Common, the Public Garden, the Back Bay Fens, Jamaica Pond, the Arnold Arboretum and Franklin Park over about 7 miles.More information
  • Charles River EsplanadeA riverside park along the Charles River with paths, lagoons and the Hatch Memorial Shell, an outdoor concert venue.
  • Arnold ArboretumA 281-acre Harvard-affiliated arboretum in Jamaica Plain with plant collections and walking paths, part of the Emerald Necklace.More information
  • Franklin ParkThe largest park in the Emerald Necklace, with the Franklin Park Zoo and a public golf course.
  • Boston HarborwalkA public walking path along Boston's harbor shoreline, connecting downtown, the North End, South Boston and East Boston waterfronts.

Where to eat in Boston: restaurants and coffee

4 places in Boston to try, including seafood restaurant and italian bakery. No one paid to be listed.

Walkability and getting around Boston

Boston's older neighborhoods, including Back Bay, Beacon Hill, the North End and downtown, are dense and highly walkable with extensive sidewalks and subway access. Outlying neighborhoods such as Hyde Park, West Roxbury and Mattapan are more residential and car-oriented, though still served by bus and, in places, commuter rail.

Check any Boston address

Drive times

  • Logan International Airport, about 3 miles10-15 min

Approximate, without traffic.

By bus or train

The MBTA subway (Red, Orange, Blue, Green and Mattapan Lines, plus the Silver Line bus rapid transit) covers most of the city, supplemented by local bus routes. Amtrak serves South Station (Northeast Regional and Acela service) and Back Bay Station; North Station serves the Amtrak Downeaster to Maine. South Station, Back Bay and North Station are also MBTA Commuter Rail terminals reaching towns and cities across eastern Massachusetts.

Boston property taxes

Boston's FY2026 residential tax rate is $12.40 per $1,000 of assessed value. Commercial, industrial and personal property pay $26.96. Massachusetts assesses homes at full value, so each $100,000 of assessed value costs about $1,240 a year. The average single-family tax bill was $7,627, on an average assessed value of $615,084.

Boston's FY2026 tax rates

$12.40per $1,000, residential

  • Residential$12.40 per $1,000
  • Commercial, industrial, personal property$26.96 per $1,000
  • Average single-family assessed value$615,084
  • Average single-family tax bill$7,627
  • Motor vehicle excise (statewide)$25 per $1,000 of value

Boston offers a residential exemption that reduces the tax bill on an owner-occupied primary residence by excluding part of its assessed value from taxation; the city says this saved qualifying homeowners up to $4,353.74 in a recent fiscal year.

Source: Massachusetts Division of Local Services, Tax Rates by Class and Average Single Family Tax Bill.

Boston property tax calculator

$
Assessed value (100%)
–
Taxes a year
–
About this much a month
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Estimate at the FY2026 residential rate; the assessor's value sets the bill.

Add it to a full payment estimate

How the residential rate has changed

Fiscal yearResidential rate
FY2022$10.88
FY2023$10.74
FY2024$10.90
FY2025$11.58
FY2026$12.40

Look up a Boston property

Buying a home in Boston

What we check on a Boston purchase: MassHousing limits, the flood map, the smoke certificate, smoke/co certificate, condo approval, waterfront flood zones.

MassHousing

First-time buyer programs

MassHousing sets its own income and price limits for Suffolk County. We check them with you before you shop.

MassHousing home loans
Flood maps

Check the flood zone first

Low-lying areas along Boston Harbor, including parts of East Boston, South Boston's Seaport District and Charlestown, and land near the Charles River, sit in FEMA-mapped flood zones. The city's 2019 climate action planning projects 2 to more than 7 feet of sea-level rise in Boston by the end of the century. We check FEMA's map before you offer.

FEMA's flood map for Boston
Before closing

Smoke and CO certificate

Massachusetts requires the seller to get a smoke and carbon monoxide certificate from the Boston Fire Department, Fire Prevention Division before the sale closes. Call 617-343-3550 to schedule.

Boston Fire Department, Fire Prevention Division page
Smoke/CO certificate

A fire department inspection is required before closing

Massachusetts law requires a smoke detector and carbon monoxide alarm certificate of compliance before a home sale closes. In Boston, that inspection is scheduled through the Fire Department's Fire Prevention Division.

Fire Prevention Division
Condo approval

Many condo buildings need FHA/VA project approval

Boston has a large condominium market in converted rowhouses and newer buildings. Financing with an FHA or VA loan requires the specific building to have an approved condo project; we check a building's approval status before you make an offer.

Waterfront flood zones

Check FEMA flood maps near the harbor and Charles River

Parts of East Boston, South Boston and Charlestown near the water fall within FEMA flood zones. We check the flood map before you make an offer on a property near Boston Harbor or the Charles River.

All loans are subject to credit approval, underwriting, and property and program requirements. MassHousing limits and eligibility are set by MassHousing and change from time to time.

James Allen

Thinking about buying in Boston?

We're licensed in Massachusetts. Send us a Boston address and we'll run the numbers, taxes included.

Call (860) 398-5268 Text us Email the team

Compare loan optionsOur process

Moving to Boston: utilities, trash and city hall

Who to call in Boston: Eversource for power.

City Hall offices and contacts

Boston City Hall is at 1 City Hall Square, Boston, MA 02201. Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM-5:00 PM. Main line: 617-635-4601.

Boston, MA FAQ: taxes and town services

What is the property tax rate in Boston, MA?

Boston's FY2026 residential tax rate is $12.40 per $1,000 of assessed value. Commercial, industrial and personal property pay $26.96. Massachusetts fiscal years run July 1 to June 30.

How much are property taxes on a $400,000 home in Boston?

Massachusetts taxes homes on their full assessed value. If a home is assessed at $400,000, that's about $4,960 a year at $12.40 per $1,000. The bill uses the assessor's value, not the sale price.

Does Boston have a split tax rate?

Yes. Homes pay $12.40 per $1,000 and commercial, industrial and personal property pay $26.96.

What is the average single-family tax bill in Boston?

The average single-family tax bill in Boston was $7,627 for FY2026, on an average assessed value of $615,084.

What county is Boston in?

Boston is in Suffolk County, Massachusetts.

Does Boston have one ZIP code?

No. Boston uses dozens of ZIP codes, generally at least one per neighborhood, from 02108 downtown to 02136 in Hyde Park.

Is trash pickup in Boston pay-as-you-throw?

No. The city collects trash and recycling curbside using city-issued bins for buildings with fewer than seven units; there's no pay-as-you-throw bag program. Larger buildings arrange private hauling.

Who supplies electricity and gas in Boston?

Eversource supplies electricity and National Grid (Boston Gas) supplies natural gas in Boston.

Is there an MBTA subway line near downtown Boston?

Yes. The Red, Orange, Blue, Green and Mattapan Lines and the Silver Line bus rapid transit all serve the downtown area, along with Amtrak and Commuter Rail at South Station, Back Bay and North Station.

Does Boston require an inspection before selling a home?

Massachusetts law requires a smoke detector and carbon monoxide alarm certificate of compliance before closing; in Boston this is scheduled through the Fire Department's Fire Prevention Division.

Towns near Boston

Neighbors of Boston, including across the Connecticut line where it applies. All Massachusetts town guides.

Sources