Where are the best places to live in Massachusetts? Here's what a new ranking says
BROOKLINE - Where is the best place to live in Massachusetts? A new report from rankings and reviews website Niche identifies what it says are some of the top communities and neighborhoods in the state.
Coming in first for Massachusetts is Brookline, which also landed at No. 11 on Niche's nationwide list of the best places to live. The town gets an A+ when it comes to public schools, health, outdoor activities and the commute. The weakest grades are for housing and cost of living. According to Zillow, the average home value in Brookline is just over $1.1 million.
After Brookline, neighborhoods in Cambridge dominate the Top 10. The Cambridgeport area near MIT, home to about 10,000 people, was ranked second. Like Brookline, it has great schools and nightlife, but affordability is a big concern.
"It's an excellent place to raise a family- great for all ages, but the prices have risen to the point that younger people find it hard to buy here," says one Niche reviewer who has lived in the area for three decades.
The entirety of Cambridge was ranked third on Niche's list of "best cities to live in America." Last year it was first in the ranking.
Newton, Lexington and Belmont are among the Boston suburbs appearing near the top of the list. Further outside the city, communities appearing in the Top 25 include Shrewsbury, Wayland, Sharon, Williamstown, Westboro and Hopkinton.
Niche says it uses government data as well as community reviews to come up with its ranking. Click here to see the full list of the best places to live in Massachusetts.