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Massachusetts city profile

What Is It Like to Live in Boston?

What it costs to live in Boston, and how it compares with other Massachusetts cities, in plain numbers.

Value score

12

79th best value in Massachusetts

How much you get for what you pay, versus other Massachusetts cities.

Overall livability

30

71st overall in Massachusetts

Cost, safety, schools, jobs and quality of life combined.

Boston is home to about 672,814 people. A typical home runs $610,400 and a household earns around $81,700, a price-to-income ratio of 7.5. Among Massachusetts's largest cities, it ranks 79th for value and 71st overall.

Boston at a glance

Median home price

$610,400

78th in MA of 80

Median rent

$1,783/mo

Median household income

$81,700

Home price to income

7.5x

Unemployment

6.9%

63rd in MA of 80

School rating

7/10

50th in MA of 80

Air quality (AQI)

45

0th in MA of 80

Walk score

84/100

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‹ See all top Massachusetts cities ranked  ยท  Massachusetts state profile ›

Sources: Home prices and rent from Zillow; income, unemployment and commute from the U.S. Census; school ratings from state education data; crime from the FBI; air quality from the EPA. City rankings are within Massachusetts only. Updated 2026.