What are the schools like in Boston, MA?

Boston is served primarily by Boston. The district operates 74 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, and 28 high schools with a student-to-teacher ratio of 10.6:1.

What is the median household income in Boston?

The median household income in Boston, MA is $89,212 according to the most recent US Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates. The unemployment rate is 6.6%.

What is the weather like in Boston, MA?

Boston has an average high temperature of 36.8°F in January and 82.1°F in July. Annual precipitation averages 43.6 inches and annual snowfall averages 49.2 inches.

Boston, MA Cost of Living, Crime & Is It a Good Place to Live? (2026)

Q: Is Boston, MA affordable or expensive?

Boston's cost of living index is 112, where 100 represents the national average. This means Boston is 12% more expensive than the average US city. The median home value is $684,900 and the median rent is $1,981 per month.

Q: What is the crime rate in Boston, MA?

Boston has a violent crime rate of 627.9 incidents per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 2021.7 per 100,000. The national average violent crime rate is approximately 380 per 100,000.

Is Boston, MA a Good Place to Live?

Boston is a large city of 665,945 in Massachusetts, with a median household income of $89,212 and a 6.6% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 112 (US average = 100), which is 12% above the national average.

Strengths: Boston stands out for solid school ratings (A), a well-educated population.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices, longer commutes, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Boston is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Boston city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 111.6

Boston's overall cost of living index is 111.6, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Boston costs roughly 12% more than the average American city.

Metric	Boston, MA	National Avg
Median Home Value	$684,900	$244,900
Median Monthly Rent	$1,981	$1,163
Homeownership Rate	34.8%	65.9%
Median Household Income	$89,212	$74,755

Crime & Safety

Near National Average

Boston's violent crime rate is 627.9 per 100,000 residents — 65% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime

627.9 /100k

Property Crime

2021.7 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Boston is served primarily by Boston. The student-to-teacher ratio is 10.6:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric	Boston, MA	National Avg
School District	Boston	—
Elementary Schools	74	—
Middle Schools	3	—
High Schools	28	—
Student/Teacher Ratio	10.6:1	16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher	53.4%	35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher	88.4%	91.1%

Weather & Climate

Boston sees average highs of 36.8°F in January and 82.1°F in July, with 43.6 inches of annual precipitation and 49.2 inches of snow per year.

Metric	Boston, MA
Average High — January	36.8°F
Average High — July	82.1°F
Annual Precipitation	43.6"
Annual Snowfall	49.2"

Demographics

Metric	Boston, MA	National Avg
Population	665,945	—
Median Age	32.9	38.9
Unemployment Rate	6.6%	3.7%
Avg Commute Time	30.6 min	26 min
White (non-Hispanic)	48.6%	59.3%
Black or African American	22.5%	13.6%
Hispanic or Latino	15.0%	18.9%
Asian	9.7%	6.3%
Under 18	15.7%	22.2%
65 and over	12.3%	16.8%

Nearby Cities

Winthrop Town, MA 4 mi Chelsea, MA 4 mi Everett, MA 5 mi Quincy, MA 5 mi Somerville, MA 6 mi

ZIP Codes in Boston

Boston, MA is covered by 32 ZIP codes:

02132 02128 02136 02130 02124 02131 02135 02125 02127 02121 02126 02122 02119 02129 02134 02118 02210 02215 02115 02116 02120 02114 02108 02111 02163 02110 02109 02113 02199 02205 02133 02203

Boston vs Other Cities

Boston, MA vs Winthrop Town, MA Boston, MA vs Chelsea, MA Boston, MA vs Everett, MA Boston, MA vs Quincy, MA Boston, MA vs Somerville, MA

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Boston, MA affordable or expensive?

Boston's cost of living index is 112, where 100 is the national average. That puts Boston roughly 12% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $684,900 and median rent is $1,981/month.

What is the crime rate in Boston, MA?

Boston's violent crime rate is 627.9 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2021.7 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.

What are the schools like in Boston?

Public schools in Boston are operated by Boston. The district has 74 elementary, 3 middle, and 28 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 10.6:1. 53.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Is Boston, MA a good place to live?

Boston, MA has a population of 665,945, a median household income of $89,212, and an unemployment rate of 6.6%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.

What is the weather like in Boston?

Boston averages 36.8°F in January and 82.1°F in July. Annual rainfall is 43.6 inches with about 49.2 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).

What ZIP codes are in Boston?

Boston, MA is covered by 32 ZIP codes: 02132, 02128, 02136, 02130, 02124, 02131, 02135, 02125, 02127, 02121, 02126, 02122, 02119, 02129, 02134, 02118, 02210, 02215, 02115, 02116, 02120, 02114, 02108, 02111, 02163, 02110, 02109, 02113, 02199, 02205, 02133, 02203.

What is the population of Boston?

The population of Boston, Massachusetts is 665,945 with a median age of 32.9. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What are the pros and cons of living in Boston?

Key numbers for living in Boston: cost of living index 112 (100 = US average), median home $684,900, median household income $89,212, crime index 138 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated A. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Boston side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.