Spacious, green and walkable, close to everything Boston offers, Brookline has been called the best place to live in Massachusetts. Many find it an irresistible balance of urban and suburban. A mere 10-15 minutes from downtown Boston by mass transit, Brookline borders Brighton, Allston, Fenway-Kenmore, Mission Hill, West Roxbury and Jamaica Plain, yet retains its own historic identity and appeal.
The Brookline Real Estate Market
Unlike other local towns and neighborhoods, Brookline was never an industrial hub. Instead, it moved from 17th century farmland to 19th century Boston suburb without shedding its verdant appeal. Along the way, its open spaces were embraced by Frederick Law Olmsted and integrated into a portion of his famous Emerald Necklace of parks.
Today, Brookline’s landscape includes everything from parkland to playgrounds to dog parks. Condos are large, and attached houses, senior homes and splendid single family estates all come to market.
Yet for a town with so much elbow room, Brookline is anything but a typical suburb. Parts of its footprint—Coolidge Corner, Beacon Street and Washington Square—are almost as populated as Cambridge and Somerville, with good-sized housing options for renters and buyers.
Lifestyle
Brookline offers myriad spots to stroll, learn, shop and savor. Here you’ll discover historic sites ranging from the JFK Birthplace to the Larz Anderson Auto Museum (housing America’s oldest car collection) to the Coolidge Corner Theater, an independent movie theater since 1933. Brookline also protects its vintage residential districts, ensuring that its character remains intact for the future.
But for many in Brookline, what really matters is how neighborly and welcoming it is. This safe, diverse community, with its leafy spaces, excellent schools and proximity to Boston’s tech, health and financial hubs, draws people from everywhere. In fact, over 25% of Brookline residents were born outside the U.S. And it remains a hub for Irish-American and Jewish culture in the Boston area.
It’s simply a great place to live. Whether you’re looking to explore vintage architecture, find a new favorite cafe, train for a marathon or simply take a walk with your kids, Brookline’s got you covered.
Is Now A Good Time To Buy Real Estate In Brookline?
With such an engaged community and such a range of housing options, Brookline real estate has been valuable for a very long time. So while newcomers may find it pricey (home values have increased over 10% in the last year alone) if you need a little more room for your Boston-area lifestyle, this can be a great time to buy in Brookline.
