Newton Named the Best Place to Live in Massachusetts, and I’m Not Surprised If you live in Newton, you already know there’s something special about it. Now, the ranking backs it up.
U.S. News & World Report named Newton the #1 best place to live in Massachusetts, with Brookline coming in at #2. Nationally, Newton ranked #116 out of 250 communities selected across the country. As someone who works in Greater Boston real estate, the ranking doesn’t surprise me. Newton offers something increasingly hard to find: proximity to Boston without giving up a strong sense of community.
Highly regarded schools, beautiful neighborhoods, historic homes alongside new construction, restaurants, parks, village centers, public transportation, and an easy commute into Boston all add to its appeal. Of course, that lifestyle comes at a price.
U.S. News gave Newton an overall score of 6.2/10, with housing affordability among its biggest challenges. The report cites median rent above $2,200, a median home sale price around $1.27 million, and median household income of approximately $198,627. But rankings and numbers only tell part of the story. Real estate has always been about lifestyle.
People don’t just buy four walls and a roof. They buy the commute, the neighborhood where they walk their dog, the schools their children attend, the coffee shop around the corner, and the community where they can imagine building their life. That’s why places like Newton remain so desirable.
