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
8 "Settle here" picks
12 "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

100/100

Schools

7.5/10

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#2

Cambridge

Settle here

Cambridge, MA

Price

$1.0M

Walk

100/100

Schools

7.5/10

View report →
#3

Newton

Settle here

Newton, MA

Price

$972K

Walk

32/100

Schools

7.6/10

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#4

Upton

Settle here

Upton, MA

Price

$540K

Walk

19/100

Schools

7.3/10

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#5

Brookline

Good for now

Brookline, MA

Price

$1.1M

Walk

86/100

Schools

7.5/10

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#6

Westborough

Settle here

Westborough, MA

Price

$530K

Walk

6/100

Schools

7.3/10

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#7

Dover

Settle here

Dover, MA

Price

$640K

Schools

7.5/10

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#8

Sudbury

Settle here

Sudbury, MA

Price

$740K

Schools

7.6/10

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#9

Brookline

Settle here

Brookline, MA

Price

$1.1M

Walk

18/100

Schools

7.5/10

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#10

Boston

Good for now

Boston, MA

Price

$1.5M

Walk

100/100

Schools

7.5/10

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#11

Back Bay

Good for now

Back Bay, MA

Price

$1.5M

Walk

100/100

Schools

7.5/10

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#12

Somerville

Good for now

Somerville, MA

Price

$859K

Walk

89/100

Schools

7.5/10

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#13

Quincy

Good for now

Quincy, MA

Price

$513K

Walk

71/100

Schools

7.5/10

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#14

Jamaica Plain

Good for now

Jamaica Plain, MA

Price

$730K

Walk

67/100

Schools

7.6/10

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#15

Malden

Good for now

Malden, MA

Price

$571K

Walk

63/100

Schools

7.3/10

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#16

Medford

Good for now

Medford, MA

Price

$670K

Walk

58/100

Schools

7.4/10

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#17

Framingham

Good for now

Framingham, MA

Price

$568K

Walk

34/100

Schools

7.4/10

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#18

Boston

Think twice

Boston, MA

Price

$1.7M

Walk

100/100

Schools

7.5/10

View report →
#19

Waltham

Good for now

Waltham, MA

Price

$678K

Walk

9/100

Schools

7.9/10

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#20

Lowell

Good for now

Lowell, MA

Price

$399K

Walk

20/100

Schools

7.2/10

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#21

Plymouth

Good for now

Plymouth, MA

Price

$462K

Schools

8/10

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#22

Boston

Think twice

Boston, MA

Price

$1.0M

Walk

65/100

Schools

7.5/10

View report →
#23

Charlestown

Think twice

Charlestown, MA

Price

$914K

Walk

54/100

Schools

7.4/10

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#24

Haverhill

Think twice

Haverhill, MA

Price

$400K

Walk

11/100

Schools

7.1/10

View report →
#25

Lynn

Think twice

Lynn, MA

Price

$286K

Walk

58/100

Schools

7.3/10

View report →

Best places to live in Massachusetts — 2026 rankings

WYLT has reviewed 25 neighborhoods across Massachusetts, covering cities including Beacon Hill, Cambridge, Newton, Upton, Brookline and more. The top-rated neighborhood this year is Beacon Hill, rated "Settle here" based on safety, schools, walkability, and home prices. 8 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 $842K. Average Walk Score is 57/100. 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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