Boston receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Washington
Boston
Opportunity
42 · Bottom 20%
vs66 · Top 30%
Growth
51 · Top 48%
vs52 · Top 46%
Climate
72 · Top 43%
vs65 · Bottom 36%
Physical resilience
97 · Top 1%
vs97 · Top 1%
Housing affordability
60 · Bottom 27%
vs44 · Bottom 9%
Access
89 · Bottom 32%
vs99 · Top 18%
Economic stability
56 · Bottom 41%
vs55 · Bottom 37%
Measured values
| Metric | Washington | Boston | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 681,294 | 666,442 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $109,870 | $97,344 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $77,348 | $61,698 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 11,146/sq mi | 13,786/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $737,100 | $731,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,954 | $2,147 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 41.5% | 35.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.9% | 4.2% | July 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -1.5% | July 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 64.2% | 54.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.4% | 16.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2,235 | 2,086 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.3 | 3.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 37.1% | 21.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 30°F | 23°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 41.8" | 43.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 24 mi | 2 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 32.3 min | 33.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.9 | 33.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Washington
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Boston
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Washington
67
Your Score
66
Area Score
Boston
68
Your Score
69
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Washington, DC · Boston, MA · How this is calculated: methodology