Living in Jamaica Plain, Boston
SouthFranklin Park, the largest link in the Emerald Necklace at more than five hundred acres, borders Jamaica Plain's eastern edge with a golf course, ball fields, and Franklin Park Zoo tucked among its wooded paths. Jamaica Pond's mile-long walking loop draws runners and dog walkers along its shoreline, and the Arnold Arboretum's living tree collection, maintained by Harvard University, spreads across the neighborhood's southern half with paths open to the public year-round. The Footlight Club, based in Eliot Hall, has staged community theater in Jamaica Plain since 1877, one of the oldest such groups in the country. Centre Street's storefronts hold restaurants, bookshops, and cafes within walking distance of most residential blocks, and the Orange Line's Green Street, Stony Brook, and Jackson Square stations connect the neighborhood to downtown.
Parking near the pond and the Arboretum's main gates fills quickly on a nice weekend, since both draw visitors from well outside the neighborhood.
Running the pond loop before work, browsing the Arboretum on a day off, and grabbing coffee on Centre Street afterward are just part of the weekly routine here.
Rent & move-in cost
Typical upfront cash for a 1-bed in Boston — the toughest in our lineup: first month, last month, and a security deposit are all standard. Broker fees are typically paid by whoever hired the broker — usually the landlord.
≈ $7,500 to move in
Safety
About 79 violent offenses within about ½ mile of the center over the trailing 12 months.
Source: Analyze Boston.
Getting around
Nearest station: Green Street (Orange) — about 11 min walk.
MBTA subway lines that stop nearby — the colors match the T's line names. The subway blankets the urban core; some outer neighborhoods rely on buses or other services instead.
Livability
From 62 rodent activity and 18 street cleaning 311 complaints within ~½ mile so far this year.