VarroExplore other towns

Boston, MA

College town · College teaching jobs 2.0x the U.S. shareHealthcare and research hub · Healthcare and science jobs 1.6x the U.S. share

Randolph is part of the Boston area. This page covers the whole metro.

Everyday life
Shops, cafes, and daily routines
Hobbies & activities
Trails, parks, and pastimes
Nearby scenery
Lakes, overlooks, and drives

Photos and reviews come from Google Maps and show single places, not the whole area. Reviews are the most relevant ones Google returns for each place. We show the longest highly rated review under 400 characters and, when there is one, the longest low-rated review. Google doesn't verify reviews but removes fake ones when it finds them.

Around Boston

F Hanscom participates in World Series pregame events
F Hanscom participates in World Series pregame events · Photo: Rick Berry, Public domain
Aerial of the Harvard Business School campus
Aerial of the Harvard Business School campus · Photo: HBS1908, CC BY-SA 3.0
Boston Massachusetts State House
Boston Massachusetts State House · Photo: Ajay Suresh from New York, NY, USA, CC BY 2.0
Boston Back Bay reflection
Boston Back Bay reflection · Photo: Robbie Shade, CC BY 2.0
Boston Latin School City of Boston Archives
Boston Latin School City of Boston Archives · Photo: Frank B. Conlin, Public domain
Boston Police cruiser on Beacon Street
Boston Police cruiser on Beacon Street · Photo: Ben Schumin, CC BY-SA 3.0
Boston Tea Party w
Boston city hall
Boston city hall · Photo: Daniel Schwen, CC BY-SA 4.0
Boston common aerial view
Boston common aerial view · Photo: AbhiSuryawanshi, CC BY-SA 4.0
Celtics game versus the Timberwolves, February,
Celtics game versus the Timberwolves, February, · Photo: Ktr101, CC BY 3.0
Federal Reserve from South Boston
Federal Reserve from South Boston · Photo: Beland, Public domain
Fenway Park night game
Fenway Park night game · Photo: Vegasjon, CC BY-SA 4.0
More towns near Boston
Ranks the towns around it by your budget and what you love doing.
Boston hasn't been added yet

Sign in (free) to add it. It takes about a minute, and then anyone can read it.

Where it is
Boston
Boston in Massachusetts
Massachusetts in the U.S.
State outlines: U.S. Census Bureau.

What's nearby

Within 5 miles of the center of the Boston area.

111
grocery stores
200+
restaurants
200+
coffee shops
200+
parks
200+
playgrounds
169
libraries
16
movie theaters
77
live theaters
66
museums
200+
bookstores
4
comic shops
125
gyms
200+
bars
69
pharmacies
28
hospitals

Counts from OpenStreetMap, a volunteer map, so small or new places can be missing. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Biking and trails

Within 5 miles of the center of the Boston area.

Bike lanes and bike paths
286 miles
more than almost all U.S. towns
Walking and hiking trails
310 miles
more than almost all U.S. towns

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Counts depend on how well local volunteers have mapped the area, so treat them as a rough guide.

What rent costs

Of about 713,425 rented homes in the Boston area, 53% rent for under $2,000 a month and 85% for under $3,000.

Under $1,000: 18%
$1,000 to $1,499: 14%
$1,500 to $1,999: 21%
$2,000 to $2,499: 20%
$2,500 to $2,999: 12%
$3,000 or more: 15%

Census American Community Survey 2019 to 2023 (table B25063). Gross rent includes utilities the renter pays. Today's asking rents for open apartments usually run higher.

What moving costs

Hiring movers

Average cost: $1,946

From a 2025 survey of 1,000 people who hired movers. This Old House. Your quote depends on your stuff, stairs and the time of year.

Moving in as a renter

The middle rented home in the Boston area rents for $1,500 to $1,999 a month. First month plus a one-month deposit comes to about $3,000 to $3,998 before you get the keys.

Estimate from Census rent data (2019 to 2023, rent plus tenant-paid utilities). Deposits and fees vary by landlord and state law.

Your first weeks in Massachusetts

  • Forward your mail: USPS change of address. It costs about $1 online to confirm who you are.
  • Switch your driver's license and car registration. Each state sets its own deadline, often somewhere between 10 days and a few months after you move. Find the Massachusetts DMV.
  • Register to vote at your new address: Massachusetts voter registration.
  • Set up power, gas, water and trash. Some cities bill water and trash together, and some ask new customers for a deposit.
  • Update your address with your bank, employer, insurance and the IRS (Form 8822 if you're not filing soon).
  • Find a doctor and dentist early. New-patient waits can be weeks, even in big cities.

Public schools

Aerial of the Harvard Business School campus
Aerial of the Harvard Business School campus · Photo: HBS1908, CC BY-SA 3.0

55 public school districts in this county, with about 202,979 students in all. Which one serves a home depends on its address.

Lowell · Lowell
14,228 students · 12.1 students per teacher · 27 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
Newton · Newtonville
11,990 students · 11 students per teacher · 22 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
Framingham · Framingham
9,469 students · 12.8 students per teacher · 14 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
Everett · Everett
7,377 students · 12.2 students per teacher · 10 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
Lexington · Lexington
6,938 students · 11.1 students per teacher · 10 schools · grades Pre-K to 12

NCES Common Core of Data 2022-23, National Center for Education Statistics. Varro doesn't rate or rank schools. For test results and programs, see each district's site and your state's school report card.

Childcare and colleges

Daycare and preschool

Massachusetts keeps an official list of licensed childcare, with inspection reports and openings in many states. In a lot of towns, infant spots fill up months ahead, so it helps to get on waitlists before you move.

Search licensed childcare in Massachusetts →
Link via childcare.gov (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).

64 colleges in the county and the wider metro around Boston. Prices are yearly tuition and fees for full-time undergrads, before financial aid.

Harvard University · Cambridge
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 30,386 students · $59,076 a year
University of Massachusetts-Lowell · Lowell
Public, 4-year · 16,770 students · $16,570 in-state, $35,396 out-of-state
Boston College · Chestnut Hill
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 15,280 students · $67,680 a year
Tufts University · Medford
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 13,274 students · $67,844 a year
Massachusetts Institute of Technology · Cambridge
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 11,920 students · $60,156 a year

Moving for school? Public colleges charge state residents much less, and community colleges often charge even less to people who live in their district. Most states want you to have lived there about 12 months, for reasons other than school, before you count as a resident for tuition. The rules differ by state, so check with the college's registrar.

IPEDS 2023-24, National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS). Degree-granting public and nonprofit schools with 100+ students. Varro doesn't rank colleges.

The facts behind it
Typical home value
$733,574
What a typical home sells for across the Boston area.
Source: Zillow Home Value Index, August 2026
Cost of living
About 8% above the U.S. average
Everyday prices (rent, groceries, services) run about $108 here for what costs $100 nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis price index 108.3 (U.S. = 100), 2024
Average commute
31 minutes one way
How long residents' trips to work take on average, counting every job and way of getting there. U.S. average: about 27 minutes.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Homeowners insurance
About $1,483 a year
The statewide average for a typical policy in MA. Your own quote will depend on the home.
Source: Statewide estimate, 2026
Natural disaster risk
Relatively High
FEMA's overall rating for the county, covering floods, storms, wildfire, earthquakes and more.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hail risk
Very Low
FEMA's rating for hail damage in the county, compared with other U.S. counties.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hospitals nearby
28 within 5 miles
Hospitals mapped within 5 miles of the center. Emergency and specialty care vary, so check which ones fit your needs.
Source: OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
Drug overdose deaths (county)
13.1 per 100,000 people a year
218 deaths in the 12 months ending March 2026. MA average: 18.5 per 100,000. U.S.: 19.9. Counts are by where people lived, and recent months may still be updated.
Source: CDC National Center for Health Statistics, provisional counts through March 2026; Census population estimates 2024
Median household income
$126,779
Half of households in the county earn more than this, half earn less.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Property tax
1.05% of home value a year
About $1,050 a year for every $100,000 of home value.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
State income tax
Graduated, up to 9%
MA's state income tax. Some cities and counties add their own.
Source: 2026

More towns in Massachusetts →