City Profile

Newton, Massachusetts

USA · Comprehensive city data and intelligence

Overall Score

Newton, Massachusetts, known as the 'Garden City', is an affluent suburban city located just 7 miles west of downtown Boston. Originally settled in the late 1600s as part of Cambridge Village, it was officially incorporated as a town in 1688 and later as a city in 1873. Characterized by its unique patchwork of thirteen distinct villages rather than a single downtown center, Newton offers a rich architectural heritage featuring historic Victorian homes alongside modern estates. People frequently move to Newton for its exceptional public school system, plentiful green spaces, and its perfect balance of peaceful suburban living with immediate proximity to the economic and cultural hubs of Greater Boston.

About Massachusetts

Massachusetts is a New England state known for its rich history, world-class educational institutions, and diverse communities. Its economy is robust, driven by major industries such as technology, healthcare, biotechnology, finance, and education. Living in Massachusetts generally comes with a high cost of living, particularly for housing, which is significantly above the national average. The state experiences a humid continental climate with distinct four seasons, including cold, snowy winters and warm, rainy summers. The lifestyle is often characterized by a fast-paced, well-educated populace that values hard work, civic responsibility, and a vibrant cultural scene.

88,287

Population

$92K

Avg Salary

158

Cost Index

60.2

Quality Score

How this 60/100 was calculated five components, with every reading behind them

Component	Readings used	Points	Weight	Contributes
Safety	Safety score: 88 / 100	88.0	30%	26.4
Affordability	Cost of living index (100 = national baseline): 158.0	0.0	25%	0.0
Economy & jobs	Median household income: $160,411 Income needed to live here: $78,000 Unemployment rate: 3.1%	93.1	20%	18.6
Growth	Population growth rate: 0.5% Job growth rate: 1.8%	46.8	15%	7.0
Business climate assessment	Business climate assessment: 82 / 100	82.0	10%	8.2
Overall score				60.2

Provenance. These figures were produced by the research pass recorded as Tier 1 (fast) (q=52, partial — below threshold), last refreshed 16 October 2026. They are researched estimates drawn from public sources, not a licensed data feed.

Each component is scored against fixed published endpoints, so this number is comparable with any other city and does not move as the dataset grows. Scoring framework 2026.10 — full methodology, weights and accepted ranges.

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Performance

Quality Scores

Business

Livability

Affordability

Growth

Expenses

Cost of Living

The cost of living in Newton is significantly higher than the national average, driven primarily by housing demand, excellent educational amenities, and its prime location near Boston. Property values and monthly rental rates rank among the highest in Massachusetts, reflecting the city's strong desirability and limited housing inventory. While everyday goods, dining, and utility expenses align with standard metropolitan Boston pricing, the overall financial barrier to entry remains steep for prospective residents. High median household incomes help cushion these expenses for established residents, but affordability continues to be a central challenge for middle-income families and young professionals.

Average Rent

$2,850/mo

Groceries

$520/mo

Transport

$130/mo

Utilities

$210/mo

Healthcare

$220/mo

Gym membership (monthly)

$75.00

Cinema ticket

$15.00

Restaurant meal (mid-range)

$30.00

Monthly groceries

$520.00

Doctor visit (without insurance)

$180.00

Income

Salary Insights

Newton's economy is robust and deeply integrated with the broader Greater Boston knowledge economy, benefiting from a highly educated workforce and proximity to world-class universities. While the city functions largely as an upscale residential suburb, it hosts major corporate campuses, healthcare providers, and high-tech enterprises, particularly along the Route 128 corridor. Prominent industry sectors include professional and scientific services, healthcare, education, and finance. The local remote work scene is vibrant, with many residents commuting into Boston or Cambridge part-time while utilizing local co-working spaces and cafes for remote days.

The average salary in Newton is $92,000 per year. You would need approximately $78,000 to live comfortably.

Employment

Top Industries

Retail Trade +0.90% Healthcare & Social Assistance +2.40% Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services +2.10% Educational Services +1.50% Finance & Insurance +1.20%

Weather

Climate

🌡️

51°F

Avg Temp

☀️

81°F

Summer High

❄️

20°F

Winter Low

🌧️

40.50"

Annual Rain

💧

65.00%

Humidity

🌤️

249

Sunny Days

Mobility

Transport

Getting around Newton is convenient via a mix of public transit, major highways, and pedestrian-friendly village centers. The MBTA Green Line (specifically the B, C, and D branches) connects multiple Newton villages directly to downtown Boston, complemented by an extensive network of commuter rail stations and local bus routes. For motorists, the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90) and Route 128 (I-95) intersect the city, though rush hour congestion heading toward Boston remains a daily reality. The city has also invested heavily in bike lanes and pedestrian pathways to improve active transportation scores across its neighborhoods.

30 min

Avg Commute

68.00/10

Transit Score

64.00/10

Walkability

Medium

Car Dependency

At a Glance

Pros & Cons

Advantages

Newton Public Schools consistently rank among the top-performing school districts in Massachusetts.

Exceptional public safety with violent and property crime rates well below the national average.

Unmatched geographic convenience with direct MBTA rail access and proximity to downtown Boston.

Abundant green spaces, parks, and recreational bodies of water like Crystal Lake and Hammond Pond.

Thriving local village centers offering boutique shopping, diverse dining, and active community life.

Drawbacks

Significantly high cost of living and median home purchase prices exceeding one million dollars.

Heavy rush hour traffic congestion along major commuter corridors like I-90 and Route 128.

High property tax burdens associated with funding top-tier municipal services and schools.

Fiercely competitive housing market with limited rental and starter-home inventory.

Strict zoning and historic preservation regulations can make residential renovations challenging.

Head to Head

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Nearby Cities

Cambridge

Boston

Malden

Lynn

Community Q&A

Questions about Newton

What people ask about living in and moving to Newton, Massachusetts.

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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Urblytica benchmarks its Cost of Living Index against a United States national average baseline of 100. A score of 115 means a city is approximately 15% more expensive than the national average, while a score of 85 indicates it is 15% more affordable. This composite calculation is weighted across six primary expenditure categories: housing, utilities, grocery items, transportation, healthcare, and miscellaneous goods.

Urblytica aggregates housing data from multiple authoritative sources, including Multiple Listing Service (MLS) feeds, municipal property tax registries, the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS), and verified historical deed transactions. This multi-tier aggregation ensures precision in tracking median home values and rental rates.

A municipality must meet minimum data-density thresholds—including consistent reporting population samples from the U.S. Census and active residential or commercial real estate transaction feeds—to ensure statistical significance before a complete scoring profile is published.

When primary agencies (such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics or U.S. Census Bureau) issue historical data revisions or benchmark corrections, Urblytica's data pipeline automatically re-indexes affected historical archives to maintain longitudinal trend accuracy.

U.S. affordability calculations incorporate federal income tax brackets, state-specific income tax rates, and local municipal tax variations to evaluate the true net tax drag on median household earnings across different states and cities.

Local county and municipal property tax millage rates are factored directly into the housing component of the cost-of-living index to reflect recurring annual tax burdens for homeowners.

The platform aggregates state sales taxes alongside county and city surtaxes to measure consumer basket purchasing power parity accurately across different retail jurisdictions.

Utility calculations apply regional seasonal consumption weightings, incorporating high summer air conditioning loads in southern states and heavy winter heating demands in northern states.

The index tracks average out-of-pocket healthcare expenses, routine outpatient visit costs, and regional health insurance premium benchmarks published by federal health agencies.

Educational metrics aggregate state standardized testing benchmarks, student-to-teacher ratios, high school graduation rates, and per-pupil expenditure data published by state departments of education.

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