Best places to live in Massachusetts
Cities and suburbs in Massachusetts with 25,000+ people, scored against each other: affordability on a $75k salary after taxes and rent (35%), violent crime (30%), schools (20%) and job growth (15%).
| # | City | Score | Rent | Home | Schools |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Milton, MA | 83/100 | $1,474/mo | $933k | 9.8/10 |
| 2 | Reading, MA | 77/100 | $1,991/mo | $809k | 9.7/10 |
| 3 | Arlington, MA | 76/100 | $2,082/mo | $934k | 9.9/10 |
| 4 | Amherst, MA | 68/100 | $1,671/mo | $485k | 9.3/10 |
| 5 | Andover, MA | 68/100 | $2,201/mo | $856k | 9.9/10 |
| 6 | Belmont, MA | 65/100 | $2,527/mo | $1.16M | 10/10 |
| 7 | Needham, MA | 63/100 | $2,409/mo | $1.19M | 9.9/10 |
| 8 | Newton, MA | 59/100 | $2,370/mo | $1.26M | 10/10 |
| 9 | Wellesley, MA | 59/100 | $2,886/mo | $1.58M | 9.9/10 |
| 10 | Salem, MA | 58/100 | $1,836/mo | $543k | 5.5/10 |
| 11 | Beverly, MA | 58/100 | $1,771/mo | $650k | 9/10 |
| 12 | Lexington, MA | 58/100 | $2,891/mo | $1.2M | 10/10 |
| 13 | Brookline, MA | 55/100 | $2,835/mo | $1.25M | 10/10 |
| 14 | Natick, MA | 55/100 | $2,134/mo | $821k | 9.8/10 |
| 15 | Northampton, MA | 53/100 | $1,439/mo | $430k | 7.8/10 |
| 16 | New Bedford, MA | 52/100 | $1,137/mo | $357k | 4/10 |
| 17 | Braintree, MA | 52/100 | $2,024/mo | $657k | 9.8/10 |
| 18 | Woburn, MA | 48/100 | $2,221/mo | $674k | 8.9/10 |
| 19 | Burlington, MA | 48/100 | $2,718/mo | $741k | 9.1/10 |
| 20 | Worcester, MA | 46/100 | $1,487/mo | $374k | 4.7/10 |
| 21 | Fall River, MA | 46/100 | $1,155/mo | $396k | 4.3/10 |
| 22 | Springfield, MA | 44/100 | $1,144/mo | $245k | 2.6/10 |
| 23 | Framingham, MA | 43/100 | $2,033/mo | $627k | 6.9/10 |
| 24 | Quincy, MA | 42/100 | $2,118/mo | $619k | 8.9/10 |
| 25 | Revere, MA | 40/100 | $2,076/mo | $597k | 7.5/10 |
Rent, income and home values: U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Taxes: 2026 federal and state rates for a single filer.
Compare the top 4