Compare towns
Boston vs Quincy
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Boston has the most renters (64.3% rent).
Quincy has the most homeowners (45.2%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Boston | Quincy |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 666,442Highest |
102,114Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.3±0.2Lowest 17% below MA |
38.6±0.8Highest 4% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±0.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.5%±1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Boston and Quincy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 13%±0.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15%±0.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $97,344±$2kLowest 6% below MA |
$98,882±$5kHighest 5% below MA |
| Quincy and Boston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $731,700±$10kHighest 30% above MA |
$618,500±$14kLowest 10% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,147±$25Highest 22% above MA |
$2,118±$59Lowest 20% above MA |
| Boston and Quincy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,456Lowest 26% below MA |
$6,381Highest 6% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±1.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
48.7%±3.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Boston and Quincy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 16.6%Highest MA: 10% |
10.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
45.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 17 yrs older than MA |
1958Highest 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 4% above MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
| Work from home | 21.3%±0.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.2%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Boston and Quincy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #258 of 282 in MA | #147 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston | Quincy |
| High school in town | Boston Latin School | North Quincy High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 18.7Highest |
15.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet |
MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.

