2023 Best Places to Live in Massachusetts

• Neighborhood in Cambridge, MA

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  Rating 3.81 out of 5  27 reviews

Current Resident: It's the best place in the world to live. If you have kids, it's even better than that. The only problem is housing-- it's super scarce.... Read 27 reviews

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• Population 10,634

• Suburb of Boston, MA

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  Rating 4.12 out of 5  142 reviews

Current Resident: Brookline's public transportation is excellent, and restaurants and businesses are everywhere in the historic districts, making shopping and dining an overall experience. LIVING in Brookline is a little bit more difficult though, as all parking is reserved for shoppers and visitors, so if you plan on being a resident here, plan on renting a separate home for your vehicle (Craigslist). You're a stones-throw from most activities though, and it may be more advantageous for those who can to avoid having a car all together. The only other downside to living in Brookline is the cost of rent. A one bedroom apartment can cost anywhere from $1,800 to $3,000 on the high end, so be prepared! Living here has been a great experience so far, just a little strapping on the wallet.... Read 142 reviews

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• Population 62,620

• Neighborhood in Cambridge, MA

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  Rating 3.5 out of 5  4 reviews

Current Resident: The Port offers a suburban vibe and proximity to Central Square and Kendall Square. The neighborhood is generally very safe and family-friend. You can find pockets of city parks with great amenities. Many big tech and biotech companies have offices near the area, creating abundant job opportunities for young professionals.... Read 4 reviews

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• Population 6,437

• Neighborhood in Cambridge, MA

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  Rating 5 out of 5  2 reviews

Niche User: If I could do it al over agin, I would definitely live here again. It is where I met my most beloved friends and my new school has given me so many new opportunities.... Read 2 reviews

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• Population 7,618

• Neighborhood in Cambridge, MA

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  Rating 4 out of 5  4 reviews

Current Resident: I have lived in Peabody my whole life and it is home to me! I wouldn't want to live anywhere else in my life!... Read 4 reviews

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• Population 8,543

• Neighborhood in Cambridge, MA

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  Rating 4.67 out of 5  6 reviews

Current Resident: East Cambridge is a highly walkable low-rise neighborhood. Taller buildings can be found closer to the Cambridgeside Galleria and east of the new Lechmere (about a 5 min ride to North Station) station. There is a wide range of rental and home prices in the neighborhood. There are lots of small businesses and it is home to many tech companies, such as Hubspot, Kayak, and Chewy. East Cambridge lacks a good transit option to Kendall square, but it's certainly bikeable or walkable if you want to do that. The biggest drawback I see it the state of the sidewalks and roads. From 2020-2021 Gore st will be getting a major facelift. O'Brien Highway is also getting renovated. This neighborhood is a great place for those who want to live close to Boston, but are looking for value. If you have a roommate(s), $1000 a month is definitely achieavable.... Read 6 reviews

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• Population 8,404

• Neighborhood in Cambridge, MA

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  Rating 4.5 out of 5  6 reviews

Current Resident: Community here is great. Everything is walk-able and safe. lots of green spaces and there are no major road ways to make a walking commute dangerous... Read 6 reviews

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• Population 13,287

• Suburb of Boston, MA

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  Rating 4.26 out of 5  19 reviews

Current Resident: I believe the school system is great! I have had very few teachers I did not like which is amazing for a public school. Although, the ratings have gone down and Wayland Public Schools is now not ranked top 10 in the state, when it was previously top 5 I believe. It is a predominantly white town although there is around 30% asians and 5% black students in my high school. Very easy access to 95 and 90 which makes the commute to activities easy. It is expensive but at the cost of good schools. Additionally, as a student there are always places looking for staff and also interns.... Read 19 reviews

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• Population 13,859

• Neighborhood in Cambridge, MA

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  Rating 3.71 out of 5  24 reviews

Niche User: I was born and raised in this Neighborhood, moved away for a few years and came back. A lot has changed, but still my choice to raise my own.... Read 24 reviews

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• Population 7,963

• City in Massachusetts

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  Rating 4.4 out of 5  131 reviews

Current Resident: I love it here! Cambridge, MA is the Mecca of Biotechnology, which is what I want to continue in my Professional Career, but also in Graduate School. It is very safe, diverse, The Top Two Universities in the World are here, the salary is high, specially for those who work in Tech and Biotech meaning that you can easily have a great quality of life. Lastly, I highly recommend those who are ambitious and career driven to move here, if you can make it here, you can make it ANYWHERE!... Read 131 reviews

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• Population 116,892

• Neighborhood in Cambridge, MA

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  Rating 4.33 out of 5  3 reviews

Current Resident: Baldwin (previously Agassiz) is nestled in an easily overlooked corner of Cambridge which is both incredibly conveniently located for night life, shops, transportation, and universities; and quietly peaceful with charming tree-lined residential streets of spacious homes, condos, and apartment buildings with the classic Cambridge mix of academics and professionals, families and students, creative types and scientists. The only amenity missing is a public library (but little free libraries on almost every block), and perhaps a shared workspace and wider range of playgrounds. This is a particularly highly educated, cosmopolitan, and affluent area of Cambridge, which is interesting and lovely to live in. Baldwin is a very desirable area, which has the consequence of making it less affordable and a little less socioeconomically diverse than some other areas in the city.... Read 3 reviews

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• Population 8,232

• Neighborhood in Newton, MA

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  Rating 4 out of 5  2 reviews

Current Resident: Moved to Oak Hill Park recently and we love it here! The area was designed to be walked with the family through it's many walking paths that surrounds a school/community center with a large field, tennis courts, and playground. Not a lot of car traffic and many families biking the streets. Many of the early ranch style houses are being torn down at a fast clip with larger houses replacing them. There is an MBTA bus (52) that runs through the area and the closest Commuter Rail is only a 5 minute drive. It's a quiet and unique neighborhood built for families with great schools.... Read 2 reviews

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• Population 1,134

• Neighborhood in Cambridge, MA

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• Population 4,903

• Neighborhood in Newton, MA

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  Rating 4.13 out of 5  23 reviews

Current Resident: I like all there is to do here. There’s plenty of food places, stores, and schools in the area. It’s very safe, there’s never a day where I’m feeling unsafe or scared to be out and about. Traffic usually isn’t too bad, unless it’s right after school.... Read 23 reviews

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• Population 17,619

• Neighborhood in Newton, MA

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• Population 2,993

• Town in Massachusetts

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  Rating 3.55 out of 5  29 reviews

Current Resident: We bought a retirement home in Williamstown after looking at many different towns in the Berkshires. We liked the Great Barrington area, but ultimately the real estate available and the draw of a private country setting just 12 minutes from a plethora of cultural activities around Williams College and in North Adams drew us to Williamstown. Our experience working with local restaurants (take-out only during the pandemic) and skilled tradespeople (plumbers, electricians, handymen) had been excellent. We have family scattered across the country and having them fly into Albany (once the pandemic has passed) will make it easy for them to visit us. The limited interaction we've had with town professionals (library, post office, town hall) couldn't have been better: friendly, accommodating and helpful.... Read 29 reviews

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• Population 7,678

• Neighborhood in Newton, MA

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  Rating 4.2 out of 5  20 reviews

Current Resident: Chestnut Hill is a very safe area to live in and a very cute town. The people who live here are very nice and all seem to be upper-middle class. It is a college town so there are lots of young and bright students roaming around. There are lots of stores, malls, and great places to eat.... Read 20 reviews

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• Population 8,805

• Neighborhood in Newton, MA

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  Rating 3.88 out of 5  16 reviews

Niche User: My town has been said to be one of the safest in the United States and even walking the streets in the dead of night I feel completely safe.... Read 16 reviews

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• Population 5,727

• Town in Massachusetts

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  Rating 4.29 out of 5  93 reviews

Current Resident: I am a high school student in Newton, MA. At my school, I can tell they are trying to make it an inclusive school environment. They have classes that work to include different marginalized groups like the class Jewish Literature. I think this progressive and inclusive mindset is applied to the rest of Newton. I like that Newton cares and it has fun events in town like Newtonville Day or Harvest Fest. One thing I would like to see change is more affordable housing in Newton. Many of the housing options are very expensive to the average American.... Read 93 reviews

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• Population 88,647

• Suburb of Boston, MA

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• Population 6,966

• Neighborhood in Newton, MA

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  Rating 4.86 out of 5  7 reviews

Former Resident: It's a quiet area with a good amount of stores around to get what you need. There's a commuter rail stop nearby and some buses to get to downtown Boston. There a lot of families and seems like a nice suburban area, I'm more of a downtown city dweller so being farther out from the city was my only complaint.... Read 7 reviews

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• Population 4,855

• Neighborhood in Cambridge, MA

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  Rating 3.71 out of 5  21 reviews

Niche User: The Cambridge area is one of the best places to live for the up-and-coming millennial. Harvard Square offers great transportation, food options, and nightlife. There is always something to do.... Read 21 reviews

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• Population 7,982

• Suburb of Boston, MA

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  Rating 4.02 out of 5  103 reviews

Former Resident: It was very safe, green, and the standard of living is very high. The only thing is because of the quaint nature of the town, it is extremely expensive! Many people who used to live there can no longer afford to due to the increase in property. Most people need to have a high paying career and a partner in a similar career to afford property there, and that's not realistic for most people.... Read 103 reviews

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• Population 34,235

• Neighborhood in Newton, MA

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  Rating 4.36 out of 5  11 reviews

Current Resident: Nice, safe neighborhood in Newton. Everything is a short walk or quick bike ride, which is a big plus over other Newton neighborhoods where you need to drive everywhere. There's a commuter rail station going to Boston or Worcester in the other direction. The Riverside green line T station into Boston is close too. There is a supermarket, post office, Starbucks, and a bunch of small shops. Auburndale Park has riverfront views and ball fields. There is a paddle boat launch near the Marriot hotel. You can jump on Rt. 128 or Mass Pike highways easily. People are very nice overall. Schools are good. Just a nice place to settle down. Worst thing you can say is that there isn't much open past 9 or 10 o'clock at night and housing is expensive, but you are close to Boston so you have entertainment options and good jobs close by.... Read 11 reviews

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• Population 8,189

• Neighborhood in Newton, MA

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  Rating 4 out of 5  1 review

Current Resident: NUF is a one of 13 villages of the city of Newton. It is not one of wealthier villages, and has a fair amount of renters living in the area. Overall it is a very safe neighborhood, with an MBTA train stop for greater access to the city of Boston, Cambridge, Brookline and other areas that the MBTA services. On the down side, it is becoming overcrowded as older lower priced homes are being bought, torn down and rebuilt. The population is not that diverse, but more diverse than other villages in Newton.... Read 1 review

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• Population 5,899