Choosing a “top” place to live is a personal exercise, one with as many possible outcomes as there are home buyers. For this year’s lists we focused on those communities in Greater Boston where prices have increased the most, as compared with prices five years ago. Why focus on sales price? Because we believe it suggests these communities are places where many would-be buyers are competing to live, driving up prices.
But we also know communities are defined by more than price, so we’ve introduced a new component this year, “May We Suggest,” a subjective spotlight of towns and neighborhoods that aren’t at the very top of the price-increase list, but have lots of enduring appeal.
Top Spots North of Boston Under $750,000
Top spot: Lawrence
Median single-family price: $450,000
Increase since 2018: 63.6 percent
Lawrence has often been called the “Immigrant City” — and it certainly is: a language other than English is spoken in close to 80 percent of households, according to the US Census. It’s a community that has been shaped by the languages and traditions of countries including Ireland, Germany, Italy, Syria, Poland, the Dominican Republic, Vietnam, and Cambodia. “Lawrence is very rich” in culture, says Arleen Zorrilla, a resident of 17 years, originally from the Dominican Republic.
Once home to thriving textile businesses, Lawrence, like many former mill towns, suffered serious economic setbacks when the industry disappeared in the mid-20th century. With financial troubles came problems with crime and drugs, but the city has worked hard to overcome these difficulties, improving its schools, increasing community services, and hiring more police officers. The Lawrence of today is an exciting place to be, Zorrilla says. There are diverse restaurants (Zorrilla is a big fan of Middle Eastern eatery Korbani’s Bakery), community festivals, beautiful historic architecture, and scenic views from bridges over the Merrimack River.
Advertisement
Though real estate prices have surged in Lawrence, it is still a relatively affordable community, with a median price below half a million dollars for single-families and condos, a rarity in Greater Boston today. Recent listings included a charming Cape Cod-style house with a grassy yard for $425,000 (sorry, it was snapped up in fewer than five days).
Runner-up: Georgetown
Median single-family price: $725,000
Increase since 2018: 62.9 percent
Georgetown’s mix of newer construction and historic homes still includes some affordable buys, though inventory is always tight in the little town, so aspiring buyers must move quickly. Once you’re in, though, you’ll enjoy lots of open space, very highly rated schools, and the commuting convenience of nearby Interstate 95.
May we suggest: Salem
Median single-family price: $585,000
Increase since 2018: 40.0 percent
You don’t have to love Halloween to love the Witch City (though it helps). This hotbed of history has a walkable downtown full of eclectic restaurants and shops, a thriving cultural environment that includes the Peabody Essex Museum and Punto Urban Art Museum’s 70-plus outdoor murals, and amenities ranging from waterfront parks to commuter rail service.
Top Spots North of Boston $750,000 to $1 million
Top Spot: Middleton
Median single-family price: $930,000
Increase since 2018: 67.5 percent
When tech CEO Dean Marsh and his family moved from California to the East Coast in 2001, they picked Middleton because it looked good on paper: strong schools, plenty of places to get outdoors, and houses in their price range. And the reality more than lived up to the promise. The town soccer program embraced the newcomers and helped them build community, the local bank helped Marsh’s wife set up her medical practice, and the school system helped his daughter with a learning disability rise to the top of her class — she’s now a sophomore at Duke. “I love Middleton,” Marsh says.
Advertisement
Other buyers are catching on: The price for a single-family home has jumped more than 67 percent in the past five years, one of the steepest increases in Greater Boston.
What do house hunters get for their money? Middleton, adjacent to I-95 and just a 30-minute drive to downtown Boston, offers commuting convenience but retains its New England charm. Plentiful green spaces wind through a community of single-family houses on sizable lots. The population of about 10,000 is tight-knit, but welcoming, Marsh says. And, while residents have to drive elsewhere for big shopping trips, the town is active with local shops and small restaurants.
And there’s one particularly notable stop for those with a sweet tooth: “You can’t mention Middleton,” Marsh says, “without mentioning Richardson’s Ice Cream.”
Runner-up: Newbury
Median single-family price: $828,000
Increase since 2018: 62.8 percent
Situated between the Atlantic Ocean to the east (half of Plum Island is in Newbury), I-95 to the west, and the bustle of Newburyport to the north, Newbury enjoys a balance of tranquil natural beauty and access to employers and amenities, all bound together by a strong sense of community.
May we suggest: Ipswich
Median single-family price: $797,000
Increase since 2018: 61.2 percent
Advertisement
With a brick-clad downtown, some of the oldest and most well-preserved First Period (pre-1725) homes in the country, and thousands of acres of conservation land — including the jaw-dropping beauty of Crane Beach — Ipswich is fit for a postcard. For residents of the town, it has practical advantages as well: Well-regarded schools, popular eateries and breweries, and a very commuter-friendly location, thanks to a downtown commuter rail station and easy access to Route 1.
Top Spots North of Boston Over $1 million
Top spot: Lynnfield
Median single-family price: $1.1 million
Increase since 2018: 67.1 percent
Over the past decade, Lynnfield has become synonymous for many people with MarketStreet, the sprawling open-air shopping center just off Route 128 that is home to restaurants, shops, boutiques, and entertainment venues. And indeed, the concentrated commercial options are part of the town’s draw. “It made it easier to move from the city to still have this centralized shopping area,” says Sofya Cooper, who grew up in Lynnfield and moved back to raise her children, now 7, 5, and 2.
But the lure of the town is so much more than a Whole Foods, an Apple Store, and a bowling alley. For Cooper, it was the combination of great schools, an easy drive to Boston, and a quiet, suburban atmosphere. There’s also a classic town green and conservation areas for nature walks with the kids. And since returning to town, Cooper’s also discovered the deep sense of community that includes backpack drives, fund-raisers to fix town tennis courts, and rallying together to support neighbors in need. “There are endless examples of people coming together to give back to the town,” says Cooper, president of the Lynnfield Moms Group.
Advertisement
Interested buyers, though, will need both money and a little luck: There are generally only about a dozen homes on the market in Lynnfield at a given time, they sell quickly, and prices below $1.3 million are rare.
Runner-up: Arlington
Median single-family price: $1.125 million
Increase since 2018: 42.5 percent
Known as the birthplace of the actual Uncle Sam, Revolutionary War patriot Samuel Wilson, Arlington is rich in history, yet very much a modern town, with plenty of shops, restaurants, and conveniences — the town line is just 6 miles from Boston. Beyond the commercial strips, though, elegant single-family houses on grassy lots make for tranquil living.
May we suggest: Somerville
Median single-family price: $1 million
Increase since 2018: 25.4 percent
Once a consolation prize for priced-out Cantabrigians, Somerville has become a star in its own right, with an enviable mix of dining, parks, arts, and night life peppered throughout its squares. The MBTA’s Green Line Extension got off to a faltering start, but the Community Path Extension that follows the new tracks now offers residents a continuous trail from Boston to Bedford. And the city’s progressive leadership has embraced pedestrian safety and traffic calming measures, ambitious climate targets, and efforts to build more housing and rein in rents.
Explore the Top Spots to Live by region:
Plus:
Methodology: Determining a “top” place to live is a subjective exercise, one with as many possible outcomes as there are home buyers. To arrive at this annual list, we rely on the finite but nonetheless valid wisdom of supply and demand: Significantly increasing prices in these communities suggest many buyers would like to call them home. We analyzed median home prices from 2018 and 2023 to find the biggest five-year increases across three price tiers for each region. In the suburbs, we looked at single-family data from The Warren Group, excluding communities with fewer than 50 sales in 2023. For Boston and Cambridge neighborhoods, we used median home price data — including both single-family and condo sales — from Redfin. Four journalists with real-estate expertise collaborated to select “May We Suggest” entries.
Sarah Shemkus is a frequent contributor to the Globe Magazine. Jon Gorey contributed additional reporting. Send comments to magazine@globe.com.