Fenway Boston: Sports, Students, and Society

Boston is a city bursting with innovative potential, diversity, and unrelenting positive energy. Though this applies to the whole city, nowhere is it more clear than Fenway Boston neighborhood - home to the Red Sox, priceless artwork, and a sizable portion of Boston's enormous student population. This confluence of key traits is why Fenway has become one of the city's most sought-after places to live.

Fenway-Kenmore Boston Demographics

As of 2010, there are approximately 41,000 people living within the boundaries of the Fenway-Kenmore land area of 1.24 square miles. For comparison, the city of Boston houses over 650,000 people, and the Boston metropolitan area contains over 4.5 million people. Like any part of the core city, it has a pretty high population density.

• Household Size: The average household size is 1.69 people, and the average family size is 2.61 people.
• Race: 71 percent of Fenway-Kenmore's population is white, 14 percent Asian, 7 percent African-American or Black, 4 percent from other races, and 3 percent identifying with more than one race. Latino or Hispanic people of all races comprise 8 percent of the population. A little over 21 percent of the Fenway-Kenmore population is foreign-born.
• Age: The leading age bracket in Fenway-Kenmore comprises people between ages 18-24 at 63 percent of the population, followed by 25-44 at 23 percent, and 45-64 at 6 percent.
• Income: The median annual income falls between $32,000-34,000.

It contains parks, quaint neighborhoods, enormous universities, and an overall varied landscape. Locals generally consider it divided into two loose regions: East Fenway and West Fenway. West Fenway, in particular, has seen a rise in its population of young professionals and their families. Students who once chose Fenway as their education destination are also finding it impossible to leave thanks to its amenities, cultural landmarks, and neighborly sense of community.

Fenway-Kenmore Boston Housing and Trends

Of all the housing markets in Massachusetts, the Kenmore Square part of Fenway-Kenmore is the tenth most in demand by prospective home buyers, with a median home value of $348,700, and a median list price of $459,000. Fenway-Longwood, another part of the neighborhood, ranked at twenty-second place with a median home value of $493,400. When it comes to real estate, Fenway-Kenmore features a striking split of old and new. Roughly 40 percent of the homes in the area were built before 1940, and another 23.6 percent had been built after 2000. As such, prospective buyers have many options for their new homes—some options are older and affordable, and others come with newer designs and amenities, at a cost. Primary transportation in the area involves the MBTA bus system and the Green Line and Orange Line subway systems. The Green Line, which contains the B, C, D, and E lines, is the most popular mode of public transportation.

Fenway Park: The Cornerstone of the City's Sports Scene

When people first hear the word "Fenway," they may not immediately think of the neighborhood; more often than not, they'll think of the city's world-renowned Fenway Park. Fenway Park is where the Boston Red Sox fervor is centralized. To many fans across New England, the one-hundred-and-three-year-old venue is a second home. As a result, any citizen at this end of the city will see that sports enthusiasm spill over into all of Fenway. Sports bars and restaurants are abundant here, and you'll never have trouble finding somewhere to kick back, relax, and socialize over a few beers. The House of Blues Boston, Boston Beer Works, and the Lansdowne Pub are just some of the East Fenway's most popular. Fenway Park also plays host to other shades of entertainment; this may include football games, hockey games, concerts, political rallies, and charitable events.

Schools, Students, and a Subtle Transformation

Boston is known as a college town, and much of that reputation is earned in Fenway. This part of town boasts a whopping 18 universities that include Boston University, Berklee College of Music, Northeastern University, Suffolk University, and many more. As a result, Fenway boasts many youth-oriented businesses and events. Together, Boston University and Northeastern draw a number of comedians, musicians, bands, and celebrity speakers to the area regularly, and the majority of these events are open to the larger public. Actress Geena Davis, comedian Seth Meyers, writer Elie Wiesel, and others, are part of these schools' recent entertainment rosters. Student art installations are recurring fixtures at almost every major university. Music venues like the Paradise Rock Club and Wally's Cafe are kept alive by local student populations, and make great destinations for you to visit—no matter what age you are. Food trucks, a venerable Boston staple in recent years, swarm throughout the Fenway region thanks to its student population; they provide delicious food at a massive convenience for those who find them. Trucks such as Bon Me, Roxy's Gourmet Grilled Cheese, and Wow Barbeque are particularly popular here. There are dozens in Boston, overall.

Fenway Boston's Fine Society and Art Culture

Nowhere else in the city than Fenway-Kenmore has such a high concentration of historic and modern art. Prospective Fenway denizens can savor historic art from around the world through both the Museum of Fine Arts (or the MFA, as its most known) and the Isabella Stewart Gardener Museum. The MFA boasts collections from ancient Egypt, imperial China, eighteenth century America, and Europe throughout the ages. It also features the largest Japanese collection of art found outside of Japan. The Isabella Stewart Gardener Museum, home to one of the city's most well-known unsolved crimes (a 1990 art theft), features historic collections involving tapestries, textiles, manuscripts, letters, and more. If you love performing art, consider Symphony Hall. Symphony Hall, which was first built over one hundred years ago, is a crucial Boston landmark and is conveniently home to the Boston Pops Orchestra. It hosts concerts for those looking to experience the finest music in the city and free tours for those seeking an affordable, educational experience.