There’s more to Massachusetts than Boston.
There’s Martha’s Vineyard, Harvard, the Boston Red Sox, and some of the best cities in America. Lucky for you, we took the guessing out of Massachusetts’ best places to live and created a list of the top ten best places in Massachusetts for 2026 based on science.
Ask any Bay Stater, and they will tell you there’s more to their best cities than just numbers. However, to put the best places to live in Massachusetts into perspective, we used Saturday Night Science to compare incomes, home prices, education, and safety, among other factors, to create a list of the best places. The competition was wicked fierce, but the best cities in Massachusetts brought their A-game.
$190,304 median income · $1,528,894 median home · #1 best place in Massachusetts
Located in
Middlesex County, Massachusetts
Kudos to Newton for holding onto the title of best place to live in Massachusetts for the second year running. An affluent suburb of Boston, there’s a lot about Newton that makes it an enviable place to live. For starters, the poverty level and unemployment rate in Newton are both the 6th lowest in the state, sitting at 4.5% and 3.8% respectively. It’s also place with the 5th lowest crime rate in Mass. Newton takes education seriously. I mean, it is home to a campus of the prestigious Boston College and Lasell University. So it’s no surprise that three-quarters of residents have at least a bachelor’s degree and nearly 50% have a master’s degree or higher. Having these schools around comes with other perks, like being able to catch an Eagles game at Alumni Stadium without traveling far. In terms of public schools, Newton’s school district spends about 20% more per student than the statewide average, so you know your kiddo will get all the resources they need to succeed here. And it pays off because Newton has the 3rd lowest high school dropout rate in Massachusetts. That’s just part of the reason why we included Newton in our list of the best family cities in Mass. If you do decide to settle down in Newton, you should know it won’t come cheap. Newton has the most expensive home prices in the state at $1,528,894. Residents also earn the highest median household income, though, at $190,304/year. You may want a job paying around that much if you want to live comfortably here. Especially since the cost of living in Newton is roughly 115% higher than the national average.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$133,953 median income · $908,131 median home · #2 best place in Massachusetts
Located in
Middlesex County, Massachusetts
We’re sticking around the Greater Boston area for our 2nd best place to live in Massachusetts, Melrose. Like Newton, Melrose is one of the richest places in Massachusetts, so you’d better come prepared for that reality. Homes go for a median price of $908,131, the 5th highest in the state. Residents also enjoy the 3rd highest median household income, though, so it all works out as long as your home is bringing in around $133,953/year. The poverty level and unemployment rate are the lowest in Massachusetts, at 3.8% and 3.7%. Seeing as economic difficulties and criminal activities usually correlate, it’s no surprise that these low numbers also make Melrose incredibly safe. In fact, Melrose had the 3rd lowest crime rate in the state, roughly 75% lower than the national average. On the less statistical side of things, there are a lot of great spots for outdoorsmen and women in the Melrose area. A local favorite would be Middlesex Fells Reservation, a massive park with hiking, mountain biking, kayaking, and plenty more on offer.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$139,625 median income · $923,543 median home · #3 best place in Massachusetts
Located in
Essex County, Massachusetts
Newburyport is a small city located on the southern bank of the Merrimack River, five miles south of New Hampshire. This historic seaport has a population with a median age of 50, making it the oldest place we’ll be covering on this list. That experience comes in handy when making an equitable economy. Only 5.0% of residents live below the poverty level, the 3rd lowest rate in Massachusetts. And since older folks with plenty of cash don’t usually go in for crime, Newburyport having the 2nd lowest crime rate in the state is unsurprising. The motto “stay in school” certainly applies in Newburyport, which has the 3rd lowest high school dropout rate in Mass. That dedication pays off, because Newburyport enjoys some seriously high paychecks, with the median household income at $139,625/year. Which is kind of necessary when you’re also paying the 4th most for homes in the state. Downtown Newburyport is plenty scenic on its own, but we recommend spending a day on Plum Island as well. Anyone who’s into beaches, bird-watching, fishing, or relaxing is guaranteed to have a good time here.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$120,216 median income · $826,437 median home · #4 best place in Massachusetts
Located in
Middlesex County, Massachusetts
Located about 25 minutes west of Boston, Waltham comes in as the 4th best place to live in Massachusetts. Public schools in Waltham can give every student the attention they need because their 11:1 student-teacher ratio is 20% better than the statewide average. Parents have more reason to love Waltham because at $120,216/year, residents enjoy the 7th highest median household income in Mass. And the economy works for everyone in Waltham because unemployment and poverty rates are both around the lowest in the state. If you work in higher education, you might just be able to snag a job at Bentley or Brandeis University, the city’s top employers. The crime rate in Waltham is the 8th lowest in Massachusetts, so you don’t need to worry about criminal activity going down in Prospect Hill Park. You just have to worry if the day is clear enough for an epic view of Boston’s skyline. As a bonus perk to living in Waltham, know that you’ll have the 10th shortest commute time in the state and the lowest you’ll see on this list at 25 minutes on average.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$106,044 median income · $755,767 median home · #5 best place in Massachusetts
Located in
Essex County, Massachusetts
Beverly is a city of 42,665 located on Massachusetts’ North Shore. If having shows and concerts in your area is a big draw for you, then you may consider bumping Beverly up a few spots on this list. With the Larcom Theatre putting on new musical and performing arts acts every month and The Cabot hosting concerts as well as movies, you’ll never have to think hard about what to do on date night. Parents will also be delighted to learn that the Beverly School District spends roughly 50% more per student than the Massachusetts average. And you won’t have to worry about your children’s safety in Beverly either, because the crime rate here is about 75% lower than the national average and ranks as the 4th lowest in Massachusetts. As for the economy, there are no red flags in Beverly. Unemployment is low at 4.4% and the poverty level of 9.4% is the 9th lowest in Mass. And while a median household income of $106,044/year is on the low end for this list, it’s still the 9th highest in the state.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$132,572 median income · $940,239 median home · #6 best place in Massachusetts
Located in
Middlesex County, Massachusetts
Somerville is a city of 81,036 located just northwest of Boston. If you like to be in the center of the action, Somerville is probably your best bet. Not only is it the most densely populated city in Massachusetts, but it’s also the most densely populated city in all of New England. That’s part of the reason we named Somerville the best city for singles in Massachusetts. There’s no central business district in Somerville, but a spread of different neighborhoods with their own personalities. This gives you a variety of options for how to spend your free time, from the shopaholic paradise of Assembly Row to the vibrant nightlife of Davis Square.
You may want to brush up on your trivia before a pub quiz night in Somerville because people here are hyper-educated. About 30% of residents have a master’s degree, PhD, or professional degree, to give you an idea. That level of education helps residents earn the 4th highest median household income in the state at $132,572/year. Which is welcome when you’re also paying the 3rd highest home prices in the state at $940,239.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$129,540 median income · $842,298 median home · #7 best place in Massachusetts
Located in
Middlesex County, Massachusetts
We’re going to take a short drive north up to another Boston suburb to reach our 7th best city in Massachusetts, Medford. Medford has the 7th lowest unemployment rate in Mass at 4.3% and the 4th lowest levels of poverty at 7.6%. Since gainfully employed people who earn good money have little reason to commit crimes, Medford also has the 15th lowest crime rate in the state as well. Medford is also home to the highly-acclaimed Tufts University, so if having some of the state’s smartest people in your neighborhood sounds like a good thing, you’ll feel right at home here. These smarts really pay off for residents, who enjoy the 6th highest median household income in Mass at $129,540/year.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$130,748 median income · $1,041,569 median home · #8 best place in Massachusetts
Located in
Middlesex County, Massachusetts
It’s hard to know where to start with a city as amazing as Cambridge. Globally known as the home to Harvard and MIT, living in Cambridge gives you access to all the attendant goodies that come with the prestigious institutions. Like having some of the best museums in the state, for both art and natural history. It’s no surprise that a place with so much going on is also one of the fastest growing cities in Massachusetts.
There’s no question about it: if you want to live in a place with young people and fresh ideas, Cambridge is going to be an absolute delight for you. It’s the youngest place on this list, with a median age of 30. It’s also the 2nd most densely populated spot in the state, so it’s impossible to be far from the action here. Congregating in Harvard Square will probably be your first stop on any day or night out with friends.
There’s only one catch to Cambridge: it’s one of the most expensive cities in Massachusetts. The cost of living is about 80% higher than the national average and homes go for the 2nd highest median price in the state. In other words, you might want to make sure your household is earning in or around $130,748/year if you want to live comfortably in Cambridge.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$96,657 median income · $694,094 median home · #9 best place in Massachusetts
Located in
Essex County, Massachusetts
We’re finishing our tour of Massachusetts’ best of the best with Peabody, a city of 54,695 in the North Shore region. Peabody has the 12th cheapest median home price of cities on this list, at $694,094, so it’s easier to get your foot in the door here. In fact, the cost of living in Peabody is only a hair higher than the Massachusetts average, making it the most affordable spot on this list. On the other hand, at $96,657/year, it’s also the place with the lowest median household income on this list.
Peabody is incredibly safe, recording the 10th lowest crime rate in Massachusetts for 2026. And if something unfortunate does happen, you’re probably covered, because 97.6% of residents have health insurance, the 13th highest rate in the state. It isn’t hard to stay healthy in Peabody, though. That’s because you can pick your own fresh produce from Brooksby Farm, year-round.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$111,185 median income · $758,603 median home · #10 best place in Massachusetts
Located in
Middlesex County, Massachusetts
Located about 10 miles north of Boston, Woburn comes in as the 10th best place to call home in Massachusetts. The cost of living in Woburn is substantially higher than the national average, but compared to Newton and Melrose, it’s actually quite affordable. And you still get access to great outdoorsy spaces, like Horn Pond. People seem to be taking notice of this economical advantage because Woburn’s population has been growing at a fairly rapid pace in recent years.
Woburn has the 11th lowest crime rate in Mass, so you don’t need to worry about hooligans messing up your good time here. If an unfortunate accident does befall you, though, it should be alright in the end, seeing as 98.4% of residents have health insurance, the 7th highest rate in the state.
You shouldn’t have trouble locking down a job and staying afloat in Woburn, because the unemployment rate is just 7.9. And most people do pretty well for themselves here, because the median household income is $111,185/year.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Massachusetts’s statewide median.
Massachusetts statewide median: $103,960
Massachusetts statewide median: $656,690
Massachusetts statewide median: 5.2%
On the map
Mapping The Best And Worst Places To Live in Massachusetts
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How We Calculated The Best Cities To Live In Massachusetts
Before we even started to collect data on the best places to live in Massachusetts, we had to answer a tough question: Is it fair to pit cities with populations over 100,000 against places with a population of 18?
We firmly decided no, that just isn’t fair.
So, to create our ranking, we broke the best places to live into three tiers:
- Cities — Populations over 12,000
- Towns — Populations between 1,000 and 12,000
- Small Towns — Populations below 1,000
We then decided no matter how much anyone loves their town, the best cities to live in Massachusetts have more of everything, and therefore, you need over 12,000 people to truly be ‘the best.’
Now that we had our set of the best possible cities, it was time to rank them using Saturday Night Science.
We ranked each place in Massachusetts across a number of criteria from one to 39, with one being the best.
We then took the average rank across all criteria, crowning the city posting the lowest overall score, the “Best Place To Live In Massachusetts.”
The criteria we looked to determine the best places were:
- Median Home Values
- Median Income
- Population Density (Higher is better)
- Unemployment Rate
- Commute Time
- Crime
- Education Levels
- Health Insurance Coverage
- Poverty rates
Sources of criteria include the New Census Data, FBI Crime Data, and Zillow. We updated this article for 2026. This report is our eleventh time ranking Massachusetts’s best places to live.
If your city or town isn’t among the top 10, jump down to the bottom of the post to see a detailed chart of the best places in Massachusetts. Otherwise, buckle up for a ride down good living lane with Newton at the end of the cul-de-sac.
The full plate
Best Places To Live In Massachusetts Table
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Best Score | Population | Unemployment Rate | Home Value | Median Income | Rent | Total Crime /100k |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Newton | 6.10 | 89,044 | 3.8% | $1,528,894 | $190,304 | 655 | |
| 2 | Melrose | 7.70 | 29,650 | 3.7% | $908,131 | $133,953 | 533 | |
| 3 | Newburyport | 8.80 | 18,652 | 5.1% | $923,543 | $139,625 | 456 | |
| 4 | Waltham | 10.40 | 64,902 | 3.7% | $826,437 | $120,216 | 960 | |
| 5 | Beverly | 11.00 | 42,665 | 4.4% | $755,767 | $106,044 | 584 | |
| 6 | Somerville | 11.40 | 81,036 | 3.0% | $940,239 | $132,572 | 1,937 | |
| 7 | Medford | 11.65 | 59,354 | 4.3% | $842,298 | $129,540 | 1,385 | |
| 8 | Cambridge | 11.90 | 118,796 | 3.4% | $1,041,569 | $130,748 | 3,124 | |
| 9 | Peabody | 12.60 | 54,695 | 4.9% | $694,094 | $96,657 | 1,097 | |
| 10 | Woburn | 12.85 | 41,939 | 7.9% | $758,603 | $111,185 | 1,164 | |
| 11 | Gloucester | 15.50 | 30,075 | 6.5% | $760,558 | $83,883 | 845 | |
| 12 | Westfield | 15.60 | 40,378 | 3.0% | $378,738 | $87,753 | 1,020 | |
| 13 | Attleboro | 17.20 | 46,762 | 4.7% | $532,570 | $98,954 | 1,371 | |
| 14 | Salem | 17.70 | 44,795 | 5.1% | $606,559 | $85,153 | 1,750 | |
| 15 | Northampton | 18.80 | 30,962 | 5.5% | $486,075 | $80,288 | 1,670 | |
| 16 | Malden | 18.85 | 65,906 | 5.4% | $684,055 | $100,606 | 1,475 | |
| 17 | Haverhill | 19.50 | 67,698 | 5.7% | $543,992 | $88,326 | 1,353 | |
| 18 | Quincy | 20.10 | 102,114 | 6.9% | $675,959 | $98,882 | 1,691 | |
| 19 | Worcester | 20.35 | 207,055 | 6.5% | $430,112 | $70,102 | 17 | |
| 20 | Marlborough | 20.55 | 41,647 | 5.5% | $578,934 | $91,968 | 1,462 | |
| 21 | Leominster | 20.60 | 43,909 | 6.2% | $463,494 | $83,816 | 1,820 | |
| 22 | Boston | 21.10 | 666,442 | 6.1% | $798,217 | $97,344 | 2,620 | |
| 23 | Lynn | 23.55 | 101,709 | 5.0% | $580,316 | $75,043 | 1,771 | |
| 24 | Pittsfield | 23.60 | 43,457 | 7.0% | $302,831 | $70,582 | 1,726 | |
| 25 | Taunton | 23.65 | 60,433 | 5.8% | $513,322 | $79,283 | 1,312 | |
| 26 | Everett | 23.85 | 50,045 | 5.5% | $639,070 | $85,218 | 1,718 | |
| 27 | Revere | 24.25 | 60,012 | 7.0% | $612,971 | $86,969 | 1,906 | |
| 28 | Gardner | 24.70 | 21,148 | 7.0% | $369,177 | $67,518 | 955 | |
| 29 | Fitchburg | 25.35 | 41,798 | 6.7% | $396,820 | $73,040 | 1,854 | |
| 30 | North Adams | 25.40 | 12,606 | 5.0% | $252,589 | $47,500 | 3,689 | |
| 31 | Lawrence | 25.40 | 88,736 | 8.5% | $504,150 | $60,433 | 1,453 | |
| 32 | Lowell | 25.50 | 118,368 | 5.7% | $480,319 | $78,658 | 2,153 | |
| 33 | Chicopee | 26.55 | 55,295 | 6.3% | $311,123 | $62,615 | 2,347 | |
| 34 | New Bedford | 28.35 | 100,998 | 8.3% | $434,262 | $56,981 | 1,738 | |
| 35 | Brockton | 28.45 | 105,386 | 8.6% | $503,833 | $80,115 | 1,968 | |
| 36 | Chelsea | 28.90 | 39,908 | 9.2% | $526,190 | $72,179 | 2,318 | |
| 37 | Fall River | 30.10 | 94,082 | 6.5% | $445,781 | $56,673 | 2,168 | |
| 38 | Springfield | 30.50 | 154,749 | 8.7% | $294,613 | $52,656 | 3,745 | |
| 39 | Holyoke | 31.65 | 37,813 | 7.7% | $322,895 | $53,605 | 5,331 |
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024, FBI UCR, Zillow research. 39 places with more than 12,000 residents.
Summary
Summary: The Best Places In Massachusetts
If you’re looking at areas in Massachusetts with the best economic situations, where there’s lower than average crime, and a lot to do, this is an accurate list.
The best places to live in Massachusetts are Newton, Melrose, Newburyport, Waltham, Beverly, Somerville, Medford, Cambridge, Peabody, and Woburn.
Newton made a strong showing to take in the overall number one spot for the best place to live in Massachusetts for 2026.
