Quiz: Where Should I Live in Boston?

Lilly Milman

By Lilly Milman

Sep 16, 2023


Boston packs a lot of punch into its small size. It’s a city that excels at pretty much everything — from education and healthcare to dining and culture to honoring its history, as evidenced by the architecture from all eras and the many historical sights.

However, each of its many distinct neighborhoods comes with its own character, quirks, and unique apartment buildings (from duplexes to brownstones to high-rises). There’s something for everyone — but if you’re moving to Boston, it can be tough to figure out where you’d best fit.

We developed our Boston neighborhood quiz to help you determine which neighborhood you’d like living in most — based on a combination of our knowledge of the city, our rental data, U.S. Census data, and more. It’s free, requires no sign-up, and takes less than 5 minutes.

Whether you’re a die-hard Red Sox fan who needs easy access to Fenway Park, a laid-back student looking to meet and experience nightlife with people your age, an active young professional looking for green space and quiet streets, or a city lover yearning to live in a classic brownstone right on the Boston Common, this neighborhood quiz should help you sort out where your needs will be met (and what fits within your budget).

Thinking of moving in with someone? Send the quiz to your potential roommate, too, and compare your answers. (Then, take our roommate compatibility quiz, too.)

To take the quiz in a new window, click here.

The Neighborhoods

Below, we list the neighborhoods included as potential outcomes in our quiz. To read our full neighborhood guide for each location, click the link:

The Methodology

We used rental data to inform certain questions and outcomes in this quiz, including: the percentage of units in each neighborhood with the listed amenities (laundry, fitness center, pool, roof deck, concierge, elevator, outdoor space, central air conditioning, and dishwasher); the median rent price of apartments in each neighborhood; the number of pet-friendly units in each neighborhood; and the number of studios, one-, two-, and three-plus-bedroom units in each neighborhood. This data came from ApartmentAdvisor.

We also used the percentage of residents within the listed age ranges (20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, and 70+) to inform certain questions and outcomes in this quiz. This data came from the U.S. Census.

We rate and sort every listing based on fair market rent.

Start your search

Top cities

Atlanta Apartments

2,093 apartments starting at $650/month

Austin Apartments

7,253 apartments starting at $665/month

Baltimore Apartments

1,524 apartments starting at $600/month

Boston Apartments

4,803 apartments starting at $450/month

Charlotte Apartments

3,389 apartments starting at $700/month

Chicago Apartments

5,062 apartments starting at $500/month

Dallas Apartments

5,344 apartments starting at $669/month

Fort Worth Apartments

2,761 apartments starting at $695/month

Houston Apartments

5,676 apartments starting at $599/month

Las Vegas Apartments

1,079 apartments starting at $695/month

Los Angeles Apartments

11,441 apartments starting at $700/month

Miami Apartments

497 apartments starting at $975/month

Milwaukee Apartments

943 apartments starting at $531/month

New York Apartments

9,074 apartments starting at $550/month

Oakland Apartments

822 apartments starting at $795/month

Orlando Apartments

895 apartments starting at $895/month

Philadelphia Apartments

3,244 apartments starting at $585/month

Phoenix Apartments

3,878 apartments starting at $678/month

Pittsburgh Apartments

1,315 apartments starting at $725/month

Portland Apartments

2,379 apartments starting at $495/month

Raleigh Apartments

1,793 apartments starting at $550/month

San Antonio Apartments

4,287 apartments starting at $400/month

San Diego Apartments

2,624 apartments starting at $650/month

San Francisco Apartments

719 apartments starting at $800/month

San Jose Apartments

436 apartments starting at $945/month

Seattle Apartments

3,104 apartments starting at $625/month

Tampa Apartments

760 apartments starting at $901/month

Washington DC Apartments

2,080 apartments starting at $1,000/month