Skip to Main Content
© Mapbox / © OpenStreetMap
Suburb0
Boston

Watertown

#36 in Best Suburbs to Live in Massachusetts
  • A
    Overall Grade
  • Suburb of Boston, MA
  • 65 reviews
    A
    Overall Niche Grade
    How are grades calculated?
    1. Public Schools
      B+
    2. Crime & Safety
      B
    3. Housing
      C+
    4. Nightlife
      A+
    5. Good for Families
      A
    6. Diversity
      B+
    7. Jobs
      B
    8. Weather
      B-
    9. Cost of Living
      C-
    10. Health & Fitness
      A
    11. Outdoor Activities
      A
    12. Commute
      A
    View Full Report Card
    Watertown is a suburb of Boston with a population of 34,553. Watertown is in Middlesex County and is one of the best places to live in Massachusetts. Living in Watertown offers residents an urban suburban mix feel and most residents own their homes. In Watertown there are a lot of bars, restaurants, coffee shops, and parks. Many young professionals live in Watertown and residents tend to be liberal. The public schools in Watertown are above average.
    About Watertown...
    Population
    34,553

    Real Estate

    Median Home Value
    $480,500
    National
    $184,700
    Median Rent
    $1,719
    National
    $949
    Area Feel
    Urban Suburban Mix
    Rent vs. Own
    • Rent
      48%
    • Own
      52%
    Sponsored Mortgage Options for Watertown
    Get Rates
    • $0 Lender Fee on Home Loans Limited Time Only
    • Biggest Home Loan Sale Ever. Low interest rates. Get a quote today!
    Niche may be compensated by the third party lenders and others who place ads on the website. Niche is not a lender and does not endorse the products of these advertisers. Fees that Niche receives for ads do not affect the terms you may be offered by the lender you choose. There are many additional borrowing options available.

    Watertown Rankings

    Niche ranks thousands of places to live based on key statistics from the U.S. Census and and expert insights.

    Crime & Safety

    Crime & Safety
    B
    Based on violent and property crime rates.
    Violent Crimes
    • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
    National
    • Assault
      61.8
      282.7
    • Murder
      0
      6.1
    • Rape
      14.1
      40.7
    • Robbery
      14.1
      135.5
    Property Crimes
    • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
    National
    • Burglary
      104
      500.1
    • Theft
      812.1
      2,042.8
    • Motor Vehicle Theft
      42.2
      284

    Residents

    Diversity
    B+
    Based on ethnic and economic diversity.
    Age
    • <10 years
      10%
    • 10-17 years
      6%
    • 18-24 years
      6%
    • 25-34 years
      22%
    • 35-44 years
      16%
    • 45-54 years
      13%
    • 55-64 years
      12%
    • 65+ years
      16%
    Education Levels
    National
    • Master's degree or higher
      31%
      12%
    • Bachelor's degree
      32%
      19%
    • Some college or associate's degree
      15%
      29%
    • High school diploma or equivalent
      16%
      28%
    • Less than high school diploma
      6%
      13%

    Working in Watertown

    Jobs
    B
    Based on employment rates, job and business growth, and cost of living.
    Median Household Income
    $93,171
    National
    $55,322
    Search for Jobs in Watertown
    • Public Schools
    • Private Schools
    Places like Watertown
    • A
      Somerville
      • Suburb of Boston, MA
      • 79 reviews
    • A-
      Waltham
      • Town in Massachusetts
      • 52 reviews
    • A-
      Canton
      • Suburb of Boston, MA
      • 39 reviews
    • A+
      Arlington
      • Suburb of Boston, MA
      • 46 reviews
    More

    Watertown Reviews

    65 reviews
    All Categories
    We moved here as young professionals for the short commute. Our long term plan was to move to a suburb with higher ranked schools, but we've fallen in love with Watertown! There is an amazing sense of community, strong diversity, great public places, world class restaurants, and a remarkably short commute to Boston. We look forward to to raising our kids here for many years!
    Start Your Review of Watertown
    Rate It!
    This is the second time I've lived in Watertown, Ma and I love it here! It is close to convenient public transportation, quiet for proximity to more urban towns and very safe. I love all the little mom and pop stores that line Mt. Auburn and Belmont St. There is a lot of diversity, evidenced by the types of stores. My favorites include Armenian and Greek grocery stores where we get the best olive oil, feta cheese, honey and baklava. There are many great yoga studios and fitness clubs as well. The nightlife is not really existent but the local pubs are very warm and inviting to watch a sports game. If you want an affordable, community oriented/family friendly, more peaceful option to living in the city - Watertown is ideal.
    Watertown is a historical town with many opportunities and is ideally located next to Boston. Relatively safe, it has burdensome traffic which exacerbates many long commutes. Rental and home values have been increasing, making Watertown increasingly affordable to those with means.