WYLT Neighborhood Rankings · 2026

Best Neighborhoods
in Massachusetts

Ranked by safety, schools, walkability, and value. Every verdict is based on real data — no sponsored rankings, no fluff.

25 neighborhoods reviewed
12 "Settle here" picks
13 "Good for now" picks

#1 Pick in Massachusetts

Beacon Hill, Beacon Hill is the top-rated neighborhood in Massachusetts — our highest verdict.

Top 25 Neighborhoods in Massachusetts

#1

Beacon Hill

Settle here

Beacon Hill, MA

Price

$1.7M

Walk

79/100

Schools

8.6/10

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#2

Newton

Settle here

Newton, MA

Price

$1.1M

Walk

75/100

Schools

8.5/10

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#3

Shrewsbury

Settle here

Shrewsbury, MA

Price

$592K

Walk

64/100

Schools

8/10

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#4

Cambridge

Settle here

Cambridge, MA

Price

$1.1M

Walk

94/100

Schools

8.6/10

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#5

Dover

Settle here

Dover, MA

Price

$856K

Walk

51/100

Schools

7.9/10

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#6

Upton

Settle here

Upton, MA

Price

$575K

Walk

34/100

Schools

8.8/10

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#7

Brookline

Settle here

Brookline, MA

Price

$1.2M

Walk

56/100

Schools

8.5/10

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#8

West Roxbury

Settle here

West Roxbury, MA

Price

$950K

Walk

37/100

Schools

7.5/10

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#9

Sudbury

Settle here

Sudbury, MA

Price

$989K

Walk

24/100

Schools

8.5/10

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#10

Needham

Settle here

Needham, MA

Price

$1.8M

Walk

17/100

Schools

9/10

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#11

Westborough

Settle here

Westborough, MA

Price

$530K

Walk

24/100

Schools

8.2/10

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#12

Brookline

Good for now

Brookline, MA

Price

$1.2M

Walk

84/100

Schools

8.6/10

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#13

Lexington

Settle here

Lexington, MA

Price

$1.8M

Schools

9/10

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#14

Burlington

Good for now

Burlington, MA

Price

$741K

Walk

56/100

Schools

8.6/10

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#15

Kingston

Good for now

Kingston, MA

Price

$611K

Walk

57/100

Schools

8.2/10

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#16

Somerville

Good for now

Somerville, MA

Price

$927K

Walk

97/100

Schools

8.6/10

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#17

Medford

Good for now

Medford, MA

Price

$756K

Walk

88/100

Schools

8.6/10

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#18

Wellesley

Good for now

Wellesley, MA

Price

$2.8M

Walk

44/100

Schools

8/10

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#19

Back Bay

Good for now

Back Bay, MA

Price

$1.6M

Walk

86/100

Schools

8.5/10

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#20

Boston

Good for now

Boston, MA

Price

$1.6M

Walk

86/100

Schools

8.5/10

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#21

Malden

Good for now

Malden, MA

Price

$634K

Walk

82/100

Schools

8.4/10

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#22

Quincy

Good for now

Quincy, MA

Price

$582K

Walk

89/100

Schools

7.7/10

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#23

Dedham

Good for now

Dedham, MA

Price

$840K

Walk

30/100

Schools

8/10

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#24

Fitchburg

Good for now

Fitchburg, MA

Price

$335K

Walk

83/100

Schools

7.9/10

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#25

Westminster

Good for now

Westminster, MA

Price

$422K

Walk

25/100

Schools

7.8/10

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Best places to live in Massachusetts — 2026 rankings

WYLT has reviewed 25 neighborhoods across Massachusetts, covering cities including Beacon Hill, Newton, Shrewsbury, Cambridge, Dover and more. The top-rated neighborhood this year is Beacon Hill, rated "Settle here" based on safety, schools, walkability, and home prices. 12 neighborhoods earn our highest "Settle here" verdict — meaning strong scores across all four dimensions with no major red flags.

Median home prices across reviewed Massachusetts neighborhoods average $1044K. Average Walk Score is 61/100. Every verdict is based on real data — crime statistics, school ratings, walkability scores, and price trend data — not sponsored rankings. Click any neighborhood to read its full report including commute times, flood risk, and a plain-English verdict.

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