Boston | Reports
Suburbs-in-the-city
Reports. A new way to find and compare similar neighborhoods.
Boston > Reports > Suburbs-in-the-city

Display layers

Airplane noise

  • Noise levels (decibels)
    60 dB
    65 dB
    70 dB: defined as 'irritating' level of noise, comparable to a vacuum cleaner or television set at a loud volume.
    75 dB: defined as a constant irritating level of sound, comparable to a busy restaurant.
  • SOURCE: Noise Contour Map (2016) from Federal Aviation Authority.

    NOTE 1: Decibels are a logarithmic, not linear, measurement of noise levels. 70dB is twice as loud as 60dB, and 80 dB is twice as loud as 70dB. At 80dB, there is possible hearing damage over an eight hour exposure.

    NOTE 2: However, the noise contour map does not reflect all the neighborhoods that are affected by airplane noise. Please see our report for a chart of the neighborhoods where the most airplane noise complaints have been made.
    • < Return to map legend

Flood zones

Zoning districts

    Suburbs-in-the-city

 

 

Ashmont

Dorchester

Contains: Ashmont Hill, Ashmont-Adams, Carruth Hill, Peabody Square
Part of: Dorchester
281 Ashmont via Realtor

 

 

Chestnut Hill

Boston

Part of: Brighton
91 Middlesex Rd. via Redfin

 

 

Clam Point/Harrison Square

Dorchester

Part of: Dorchester
21 Mill Street via Realtor

 

 

Codman Square

Dorchester

Part of: Dorchester
Image via Codman Squared

 

 

Fields Corner

Dorchester

Contains: Melville Park
Part of: Dorchester
38 Melville Ave. via Realtor

 

 

Forest Hills

Boston

Part of: Jamaica Plain
The Commons at Forest Hills Station

 

 

Hyde Park

Boston

Contains: Fairmount Hill, Readville
1825-1827 River St. via Redfin

 

 

Jamaica Plain

Boston

Contains: Forest Hills, Parkside, Pondside, Woodbourne
32 Parkton St. via Compass

 

 

Neponset/Port Norfolk

Dorchester

Contains: Pope's Hill
Part of: Dorchester
24 Ericsson St. via BPDA

 

 

Polish Triangle

Dorchester

Part of: Dorchester
29 Mt Vernon St. via Redfin

 

 

Roslindale

Boston

Contains: Peter's Hill
3-5 Organ Park via Compass

 

 

Savin Hill

Dorchester

Contains: Over-the-Bridge
Part of: Dorchester
90 Grampian Way via Realtor

 

 

Upham's Corner

Dorchester

Contains: Jones Hill
Part of: Dorchester
54 Monadnock St. via Zillow

 

 

West Roxbury

Boston

Contains: Chestnut Hill
8 Rutledge St. via Compass

 

 

Woodbourne

Boston

Part of: Jamaica Plain
22 Woodbourne Rd. via Zillow

Suburbs-in-the-city

Over four centuries, Boston has grown through both reclaimed land and by annexing surrounding cities and towns. The southernmost neighborhoods of the city – Dorchester, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain, Mattapan, Roslindale, and West Roxbury – are considerably less densely developed than the northern sections of the city, closer to downtown. Because some of these were suburbs before their annexation to Boston, these neighborhoods retain a sense of suburbia-in-the-city – a good number of single-family, wood-frame houses with yards and driveways.

Pricewise, many of these suburban neighborhoods in the southern part of Boston are also some of the most affordable neighborhoods in the city.

Beach neighborhoods in Dorchester, East Boston, and South Boston. Within Boston, there are a number of neighborhoods that are not just suburban, but are also beach neighborhoods. These include Savin Hill in Dorchester, with Malibu and Savin beaches. Neponset/Port Norfolk has Tenean Beach, South Boston has Carson Beach, and East Boston has Constitution Beach in Lower Orient Heights.

In addition, there are sections of other, more-densely developed neighborhoods that have retained a suburban feeling but are still very close to neighborhood amenities. Within Brighton, this includes the Aberdeen and Oak Square/West Brighton sections. Within Allston, the Lower Allston area. And in South Boston, the Eastside neighborhoods of Telegraph Hill and City Point.