Top 9 Reasons to Move to Boston and Why You’ll Love Living Here

Living in Boston offers residents rich history, excellent food, world-class education, and grand entertainment. Commonly known as “Beantown” because of its famous baked beans, Boston is home to countless events and landmarks, like the Boston Marathon and Fenway Park. 

Massachusetts real estate attorney Jordana Greenman, describes Boston beautifully: “Seasons? We’ve got them – sometimes all four in a single day.  The ocean? Ours comes with unmatched views of history, where simply standing at the water’s edge connects you to tales spanning centuries. Sports?  Championship traditions are woven into our fabric. 

Boston might not be among the biggest cities in the U.S., but this historic city has so much to offer. So, if you haven’t already started looking at apartments for rent or homes for sale in Boston, here are the top nine reasons why you’ll love making this city your new home.

1) Great transportation and walkability

Offering locals one of the world’s best transportation systems, it isn’t difficult to get around Boston. Many Bostonians give up their personal vehicles and instead rely heavily on the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), serving nearly every neighborhood and suburb in Boston. According to Walkscore.com, Boston is a “Walker’s Paradise” with a Walk Score of 98. This means that daily errands don’t require a car, so not only are you reducing your carbon footprint and getting some much-needed fresh air, but you’re also saving on the price of transportation. The easy access to shops and restaurants alone makes for one of the reasons to move to Boston.

2) Boston’s thriving food scene

From Boston cream pies and Parker House rolls to Boston baked beans and Fenway Franks, Boston is a wonderful place to enjoy food and drinks. Boston also has a great selection of fresh seafood, so you can indulge in some of the best clam chowder, oysters, lobster rolls, and more. In addition to Boston’s classics and famed seafood, the city offers nearly every cuisine you can imagine. Be sure to check out Kava Neo-Taverna, Dakzen, Giulia, and Cafe Sushi for just a small sampling of Boston’s cuisine.

The team at Standard Title & Escrow, a boutique closing firm, shares that from May through October, there’s no better place to live than in Boston. For those who just relocated or are temporarily visiting, they suggest, “Try Standard partner, Dan Godefroi’s favorite, a classic North Shore three-way roast beef sandwich.”

3) Sports culture

The locals are utterly devoted to the Boston professional sports scene, and there’s something really special about cheering on The Sox (MLB), Pats (NFL), Bruins (NHL), or Celtics (NBA). In Beantown, professional sports are a sense of pride, so grab a hotdog or kettle corn and enjoy a game of your choosing.

4) Rich history

As one of the first American colonies, Boston is known for being a history lover’s dream. Some of our nation’s deepest roots began in Boston and are still preserved today. If you decide to move to Boston, you’ll be living in the home of the Boston Tea Party, the fuse that set off the American Revolution. Soak up history at The Museum of African American History, USS Constitution Museum, the Granary Burial Ground, Paul Revere’s House, and the Freedom Trail. No matter where you go in Boston, there is history to be appreciated and enjoyed, with a historical marker or site around every corner.

5) Things to do

No matter your interests, there’s always something to do in Boston. From cultural activities to exciting professional sporting events, there’s an activity for everyone. Some popular events that take place in Boston include the Boston Marathon, Harborfest, ArtWeek Boston, and the Boston Calling Music Festival. If your perfect day is spent beachside in a quaint town, not far from Boston you’ll find yourself at the hamlets of Nantasket, Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, and the numerous towns on Cape Cod, such as Eastham, MA, Provincetown, MA, and Hyannis, MA.

If you’d rather spend the day in the mountains, there are plenty of opportunities to escape the city. Explore the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts and visit towns like Lenox and Great Barrington. You can also catch yourself at the Catamount Mountain Resort and Ski Butternut if you’re a mountain skier, snowboarder, or just want to tube down the mountainside. You can even venture off into Vermont and find Killington, Okemo, and Pico Mountains for some steep downhill runs.

Boston is also poised with a vibrant retail scene. Jonathan Lapat, Boston Managing Principal for SRS Real Estate Partners recommends exploring Newbury Street. He says, “Newbury Street is popping with recent additions, such as Yeti and KÜHL, along with other brands ranging from Alo, Cartier,  Sephora, Google, Zara, Birkenstock, Brandy Melville, Hoka, and so many more options.”

6) Access to the outdoors

From the Arnold Arboretum to Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway, Boston neighborhoods all across the city offer opportunities to enjoy the outdoors without venturing outside city limits. In fact, you can find the nation’s very first public park, Boston Common, right in downtown Boston. Other popular parks to enjoy include the Public Garden and The Esplanade. Because Boston is surrounded by water, there are plenty of water activities you can partake in, like whale watching, kayaking, and paddleboarding. If you’re looking to escape the city for some hiking, biking, or cross-country skiing, take a 10-minute drive north of the city and you’ll find yourself in the Middlesex Fells Reservation.

If you’re checking out Arnold Arboretum, Greg Banks, Owner of Set the Stage Boston, a Boston based staging company says, “Whether you prefer wide, stroller-friendly paths or quiet woodland trails that disappear into the trees, there’s always something new to discover.” During each season, Greg shares how the Arnold Arboretum offers something different, whether that’s an “explosion of color” or “hills with sledders.”

7) Weather

If you’re a 4-season type person, you’ll love owning a home or renting an apartment in Boston. It’s true that some consider Boston winters brutal, however, Boston’s climate is considered temperate. Winters can get quite cold and snowy, with an average low of 26 degrees in January. Summers see warmer temps, with highs of 82 degrees in July. But Autumn in New England just can’t be beaten – the fall foliage is truly a breathtaking view to take in.

8) Excellent healthcare

You can find many top-rated hospitals and doctors right within the city’s limits, making access to healthcare one of the top reasons to move to Boston. A few of the wonderful hospitals to take note of are Boston’s Children’s Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Massachusetts General Hospital.

9) Innovative culture

A list of reasons to move to Boston wouldn’t be complete without mentioning its infamous educational institutions. 

The team at Tandem, an online platform for finding office space to lease says, “You can sit in a Tatte in Kendall Square and be surrounded by Harvard and MIT students furiously working on their startups. It’s a city where ambition feels contagious, and everyone in the room seems convinced they’re building something that matters. That shared optimism is what makes living in Boston feel like you’re a part of something bigger.”

Methodology: Median home sale price data was pulled from the US Housing Market resource during April 2022.

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