Newton, MA is a city, not a town, and with its density of population, variety of neighborhoods and enclaves, and recreational offerings, it has all the vibrancy and excitement of urban living. But Newton’s nickname is “The Garden City” and its tree-lined streets, abundance of ponds and nature trails, and plethora of handsomely landscaped homes affords it the right to that sobriquet. Rather than having a single city center, Newton is a conglomeration of thirteen villages, each with its own character. Newton lies just seven miles west of downtown Boston and is easily one of the most desirable suburbs in the Greater Boston area. Whether because of its varied architecture, excellent public schools, proximity to Boston, safe streets, wonderful libraries, world-class eateries, distinctive neighborhoods, public parks, plentiful access to public transportation, or rich history, you can satisfy two (or three or four!) of your moving must-haves by relocating to this fair city.
Newton is one of the best places in Greater Boston, and perhaps the country, to raise a family. In 2011, Newton was named the fifth safest small city in the entire country. In the same year, 24/7 Wall St. named Newton the best city in the country to live in, citing its infinitesimal violent crime rate, high median home value, and low unemployment.
If safe streets and high property values aren’t enough to sell you, Newton has one of the best public school systems in the state. In 2015, they came in at 10 out of 125 on Boston Magazine’s annual ranking of public schools. It’s important to note that Newton dwarfs its higher-ranking competitors in terms of enrollment, meaning that Newton has that many more students to support. In 2015, Newton enrolled 12,674 students. Top-ranked Dover-Sherborn enrolled just 2,036. Even with a greater number of students participating, Newton still outperformed five of nine higher-ranked school districts on Advanced Placement tests. Newton has two public high schools and a handful of private high schools.
U.S. News and World Report ranked Newton-Wellesley Hospital in Waban as the tenth best hospital in the Boston metro area, which is impressive considering that the competition is Massachusetts General Hospital, Beth-Israel Deaconess, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the like.
The cultural possibilities in Newton are endless. Newton has two symphony orchestras. The West Newton Cinema is one of the best art houses in the Boston area. Newton contains the distinguishing topographical features of the Boston Marathon route, Heartbreak Hill. On race day, Newton residents come out in droves to cheer athletes as they ascend this grueling incline.
Newton has such an embarrassment of good restaurants that restaurateurs here can and do specialize. Want the best wings in Boston? Buff’s Pub in Newton Corner. How about the best barbecue north of the Carolinas? Easy. Blue Ribbon Barbecue in West Newton. Italian Sausages? Depasquale’s in Nonantum. Cozy Irish Pub? Dunn-Gaherin’s in Newton Upper Falls. Vegetarian and vegan cuisine? The Walnut Grille in Newton Highlands. Old-school soda fountain? Cabot’s in Newtonville. New York-style diner? Johnny’s Luncheonette in Newton Center. Newton has outstanding restaurants to suit any taste.
Newton offers many opportunities to get out into the great outdoors to enjoy some healthy living. Newton has two farmer’s markets, one on Elm Street and another in Cold Spring Park. Both are well attended and have many vendors. Newton has two Whole Foods Markets and a Trader Joe's for organic food and produce. Newton also offers abundant green space, like the Hemlock Gorge park near Echo Bridge where you can find serene solitude along a placid leg of the Charles River in Newton Upper Falls. If you hunger for more physical activity than a quiet moment in a public park affords you, you can always rent a canoe or kayak in Auburndale and explore the Charles River or bike along the river on the beautiful path in Nonantum. Or you can simply stroll down Newton’s quiet residential streets shaded by old-growth maples, oaks, and elms.
The style of architecture is as varied as the thirteen villages. Most homes in Newton were built before 1950 and Newton has four distinct historic districts. You can find Carpenter Gothic, Queen Anne Victorian, Bracketed Italianate, Second Empire, Colonial Revival, Tudor, Greek Revival, Craftsman-style, and the list goes on. A drive through any of Newton’s neighborhoods provides a master class in American residential architecture.
The trouble in paradise is that Newton’s many charms are no longer secret (if they ever were). The median listing price for a home in Newton is a cool 1.25 million dollars. The median home size is 3,222 square feet. With that said, a range of housing options, including apartments and two-family houses are available, but the majority of residences skew toward single-family homes.
