Best Places to Live in Massachusetts: Popular Cities, Suburbs & Towns to Consider

Updated September 2026

If you’re thinking about moving to Massachusetts, one of the biggest questions is simple: Where should you live?

Massachusetts offers everything from vibrant city neighborhoods and walkable communities near Boston to historic suburbs, coastal towns, and quieter communities in Central Massachusetts. The best place to live ultimately depends on your budget, commute, lifestyle, housing needs, and what you want your day-to-day life to look like.

As a Massachusetts Realtor with seven years of experience, I help buyers and sellers explore communities throughout Greater Boston, MetroWest, Central Massachusetts, and beyond. Here are some of the most popular areas to consider when deciding where to buy a home in Massachusetts.

Boston: City Living, Culture & Convenience

Boston remains one of the most recognizable places to live in Massachusetts, especially for buyers who value access to employment, restaurants, cultural attractions, universities, public transportation, and city amenities.

Housing varies significantly by neighborhood, from condos and historic brownstones to townhomes and single-family properties. Back Bay, Beacon Hill, South Boston, Jamaica Plain, Charlestown, and the Seaport each offer distinctly different lifestyles and housing options.

Buyers considering Boston should pay particular attention to neighborhood-level pricing, condo fees, parking, transportation access, and property type rather than looking only at citywide housing statistics.

Helpful resources: Explore the City of Boston official website, or browse Boston homes.

Cambridge & Somerville: Walkable Communities Near Boston

Just across the Charles River, Cambridge combines residential neighborhoods with universities, biotechnology, technology, restaurants, shops, and cultural attractions. Harvard University and MIT are two of the city's best-known institutions, but Cambridge's individual neighborhoods—from Harvard Square and Porter Square to Cambridgeport—each have their own character.

Next door, Somerville has evolved into one of Greater Boston's most popular urban communities. Areas such as Davis Square, Union Square, and Assembly Row offer restaurants, entertainment, transit access, and a mix of older multifamily properties, condos, and newer development.

For buyers searching for walkable places to live near Boston without living directly in Boston, Cambridge and Somerville deserve serious consideration.

West Boylston: Small-Town Living Near Worcester

For buyers looking farther west, West Boylston offers a very different Massachusetts lifestyle.

Located just north of Worcester, West Boylston is primarily a residential community with convenient access to Routes 12, 140 and 110 as well as I-190. The town is closely connected to the Wachusett Reservoir landscape, which provides some of the area's most recognizable scenery.

The historic Old Stone Church overlooking the Wachusett Reservoir is one of the community's defining landmarks, while protected land surrounding the reservoir contributes to West Boylston's open-space character.

For buyers comparing West Boylston, Shrewsbury, Worcester, Holden, Boylston and other Central Massachusetts communities, factors such as home prices, lot size, commute, taxes and housing inventory can make a meaningful difference.

Local resource: Visit the Town of West Boylston for municipal information and community resources.                                                                                                                                                                                                   

Newton, Brookline & Lexington: Popular Suburbs Near Boston

Buyers who want suburban living while maintaining relatively convenient access to Boston often consider Newton, Brookline and Lexington.

Newton is only about seven miles from downtown Boston and consists of multiple villages, giving buyers a variety of neighborhood settings within one city. Brookline combines an urban-suburban feel with close proximity to Boston, while Lexington is well known for its historic character and residential neighborhoods.

These communities tend to attract strong buyer interest, so understanding recent comparable sales and current inventory can be especially important before making an offer.

Newburyport & Marblehead: Coastal Massachusetts Living

If living near the water is high on your wish list, Massachusetts' North Shore offers some beautiful alternatives to Greater Boston.

Newburyport combines maritime history with a walkable downtown, restaurants, shops and access to the waterfront. The community is also associated with the Joppa Flats salt marshes and nearby coastal recreation.

Marblehead offers another distinctly coastal setting, with historic architecture, harbor views and a strong connection to New England's maritime character.

These towns can be particularly appealing to buyers searching for coastal towns in Massachusetts, walkable downtowns, historic homes, or a lifestyle outside Boston.                                                                                              

What Is the Best Place to Live in Massachusetts?

There isn't one answer—and that's actually one of the advantages of buying a home here.

Someone commuting into Boston may prioritize Cambridge, Somerville, Newton or Brookline. A buyer looking for more space or a different price point may explore Shrewsbury, West Boylston, Holden, Westborough or other Central Massachusetts communities. Someone prioritizing coastal living may prefer Newburyport, Marblehead or another North Shore town.

The better question is: Which Massachusetts community gives you the right combination of home, lifestyle, location and budget? That's where a thoughtful home search becomes much more valuable than simply choosing a town from a “best places to live” ranking.                                                                                                          

Moving to Massachusetts? Let's Find the Right Community for You

Whether you're relocating to Massachusetts, moving from Boston to the suburbs, buying your first home, upsizing, downsizing, or investing in real estate, I can help you compare communities based on what actually matters to you.

Wajeeha Nasir | Realtor®                                                                                                                                                                                                          Northbound Realty Co.               
Rooted in integrity, focused on you.

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