Arlington vs Boston
Arlington, Massachusetts versus Boston, Massachusetts: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Arlington edges out Boston on overall objective livability (49 vs 44 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Arlington | Boston |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $136k | $89k |
| Cost of Living | $82k | $82k |
| Home Value | $839k | $685k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $3k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.06% | 0.60% |
| Income Tax | 9.00% | 9.00% |
| Sales Tax | 6.25% | 6.25% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 17.58% | 15.66% |
| Unemployment | 3.6% | 6.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 28°F | 29°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 73°F | 74°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 48.4 in | 49.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 59.0 in | 49.2 in |
| Sunny Days | 181 days | 181 days |
| Summer Humidity | 62°F | 62°F |
| Comfortable Days | 90 days | 98 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 41.5 | 8.9 |
| Air Quality | 45 AQI | 45 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 356/100k | 2433/100k |
| Property Crime | 555/100k | 1825/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 45,906 | 665,945 |
| Median Age | 40.7 | 32.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.40 | 0.68 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.90 | 0.93 |
| Political Leaning | D+64 | D+64 |
| White (%) | 74.0% | 44.2% |
| Black (%) | 2.8% | 21.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 5.1% | 19.6% |
| Asian (%) | 13.3% | 9.6% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.8% | 5.7% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 32 min | 31 min |
| Walkability | 14.8/20 | 14.7/20 |
| Airport Distance | 9 mi | 4 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 94.0% | 89.6% |
| Amenities Nearby | 316.95 | 33.07 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | Limited |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Arlington or Boston more affordable?
- Boston has the lower cost of living: its index is $82k, compared with Arlington's $82k and Boston's $82k. Median rent is $2k in Arlington versus $2k in Boston.
- Is Arlington or Boston safer?
- Arlington has the lower violent crime rate. Arlington reports 356/100k and Boston reports 2433/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Arlington or Boston?
- The median home value is $839k in Arlington and $685k in Boston, so homes are more affordable in Boston.