The reasons to live in downtown Boston are endless. From the rich history of the city to the lively nightlife of the best Back Bay or South End bars and restaurants, there is something for everyone if you are seeking vibrant city life. However, for some folks city life is only one chapter of their lives, and they eventually trade in downtown for the suburbs.

Boston’s convenient suburbs provide opportunities to buy real estate in a quaint setting, offering easy access to the city while providing new homeowners with access to historical hamlets and towns brimming with activities, restaurants, and plenty of space to explore.

Below we’ve compiled a list of some of the best (and most expensive) Boston suburbs to help you navigate the suburban real estate market and plan your move to the suburbs.

Brookline 

Bordering on Fenway and Mission Hill is the town of Brookline. The town’s roots date back to the founding of Boston, deriving its name from the creeks and brooks bordering the community to the north and south. Fast-forward to the present day, and Brookline is home to storied victorian-style housing, the birthplace of JFK, and the Puppet Showcase Theater, New England’s only dedicated puppeteering theater. 

The Lindens area of Brookline, the earliest planned settlement of the town, was laid out as a garden suburb to relieve homeowners of the tight streets plaguing Beacon Hill and other Boston neighborhoods. As such, homeowners in Brookline can expect expansive properties and parks while remaining close to Boston’s neighborhoods with easy commute times.

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Newton 

Newton, which was named The Newe Towne back in the 1600s, is one of America’s original commuter suburbs just 11 miles from downtown Boston. The Boston and Worcester railroad line runs directly through Newton, providing the means for residents to find a spacious retreat from the city streets with a short commute to Boston.

The city with a small town feel comprises 13 separate villages, and the homes are Victorian in style, ranging from Cape Cod to Greek Revivals, and is home to two philharmonic orchestras. Newton is also home to Heartbreak Hill, one of four hills that Boston Marathon runners must conquer to win, so any road racing-minded homeowners in Newton already have a home-field advantage when race day comes. 

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Wellesley 

If the fast-paced and cramped life of owning a multi-million dollar condo in Boston is tiring, then Wellesley might be the Boston suburb for you! Home to Wellesley and Babson Colleges, this city borders Newton and is among the wealthiest cities in America. Established in the 1700s, Wellesley real estate is highly valued and generally is some of the most expensive in Massachusetts. 

Many of the homes in Wellesley are Victorian-style, but buyers can also find many condo ownership opportunities. Many Wellesley residents power their homes with wind turbine generated power, and the city has a tree bylaw requiring any cut-down trees to be replaced or have a donation made to the town’s Tree Fund. As such, it’s no surprise that the city is home to the H.H. Hunnewell Arboretum at Wellesley College. 

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Weston 

Only 15 miles outside of Boston, homebuyers can find solitude in the hills of Weston. Another historical gem incorporated in the 1700s, Weston hosts 26 historic areas and seven homes on the National Registry of Historic Places. 

If you’re seeking affluent real estate in a semi-rural area, then Weston’s 2,000 acres of parks, wetlands, forests, and fields will provide buyers with the solace and space you won’t find in Boston’s neighborhoods. 

Ninety miles of trails, 37 scenic roads, and a plethora of cross-country and horse-riding trails don’t come cheap; Bloomberg rated Weston as the 7th wealthiest zip code in America and the richest in Massachusetts. The theatrically inclined will rejoin to know that Weston is home to the second oldest community theater in America, the Weston Friendly Society, which performs each year at the Town Hall. 

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Winchester 

At an easy 8 miles from downtown Boston, Winchester’s community and pristine real estate command a high demand from homebuyers. Dating back to the 1600s, Winchester is another historical town Bostonites can retreat to and find solace in the area’s many lakes, rivers, and reservoirs. 

With two train lines heading into Boston, there are plenty of options for commuters to reach the city. Winchester is known for the Griffin Museum of Photography, as well as its vibrant sailing and canoeing communities based out of the Mystic Lakes. The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources designated Winchester as a “green community,” and many residents have installed solar panels on their homes as a part of the state’s Solarize MASS project. 

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Belmont 

Commonly known as The Town of Homes, Belmont was the breadbasket serving Boston in the 1800s. But as the town introduced new trolly systems and roads, the farms and fields were turned into residential neighborhoods. Belmont is minutes away from both Harvard and MIT in Cambridge, making it a popular location for educators and academics. 

Despite being a college town, Belmont originally was a dry town, but that changed in the 1900s, and now homeowners can responsibly enjoy a libation in one of the town’s many parks. As Belmont’s motto suggests, homeowners can expect a variety of architectural styles, ranging from 1800s-era Georgian-style homes to Colonial Revivals that began to line the streets as Bostonites seeking spacious real estate and respite from city living began moving in. 

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Lexington 

Homeowners with a penchant for history know the significance of Lexington as the locale where the first shot of the Revolutionary War rang out across human history. The birthplace of American liberty, Lexington is north of Belmont, about 11 miles north of Boston, and suburban buyers can find historic, spacious real estate a ways away from the congestion of the city. 

Downtown Lexington has bustled throughout the centuries, growing in popularity as the farmsteads became condos and housing developments in the 1970s onward. The Downtown district has a variety of restaurants and a movie theater, all circled by historic parks, such as Belfry Hill, the home of the Old Belfry bell that beckoned residents to arms or church.

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Concord 

If solitude and spacious real estate are factors in your home buying adventure, then you’ll want to set your sights on Concord. At around 25 miles away from Boston, this historic town is teeming with parks, rivers, and lakes. Similar to Lexington, Concord’s was founded in the 1600s and was the second battlefield of the Revolutionary War.

Fast-forward to today, and the town has become the premier destination for Bostonites seeking real estate that’s steeped in American and literary history. Famous writers such as Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Henry David Thoreau all owned homes in Concord which is the location of now-famous Walden Pond. 

Despite the distance from Boston, Concord has two train lines transporting commuters to downtown. 

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Lincoln 

Homebuyers looking for rustic real estate in a small town that’s close to Boston may find themselves calling Lincoln their home. Situated to the south of Concord, Lincoln is another historic hamlet, but it’s also known for its arts scene. The deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum host 30 acres of sculptures on the scenic shores of Flint’s Pond. 

With a population of 6,400 and much of the land dedicated to public conservation, it’s hard to believe homes in Lincoln are only 30 minutes away from the outskirts of Boston. With vast tracts of spacious land, prospective homeowners would share a town with the Massachusetts Audubon Society, which is headquartered in Lincoln.

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Cohasset 

Around 45 minutes outside of Boston, and with a population of 7,500, Cohasset sits to the south of Massachusetts Bay, bordered to the west by Wompatuck State Park. If you’re in love with real estate by the sea, but want to find a home outside of Boston’s busy streets on the North End, the spacious oceanfront properties of Cohasset are perfect for you. 

A historic gem by the sea, Cohasset was founded in the 1600s, and real estate properties were laid out with long lots to facilitate large lawns with smaller backyards. While some of these home styles still exist today, many of the homes now have spacious front and back yards and are a stone’s throw from the ocean. Homeowners in the region can find solace at Minots Lighthouse or travel north for a nostalgic trip to ride the Paragon Carousel in Nantasket to the north. 

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Average Listing Prices Boston Suburbs

• Brookline - $1,809,538
• Newton - $1,593,156
• Wellesley - $2,174,244
• Weston - $3,440,447
• Winchester - $1,355,981
• Belmont - $1,293,593
• Lexington - $2,024,828
• Concord - $2,077,473
• Lincoln - $2,204,223
• Cohasset - $2,226,535

Interested in buying a home in your favorite Boston suburb? Browse listings and see how much you can save with Prevu’s Smart Buyer commission rebate.