Back Bay, MA Real Estate

Median Income $59,899

Median Age 46.75

Population 1,953

	Median Temperature
	January	HI 36°	LO 22°	July	HI 82°	LO 65°

	School Test Scores
	Elementary: David Farragut Josiah Quincy Thomas J Kenny		Middle: Eliot K-8		High: Boston Latin Health Careers Academy
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Boston's Back Bay is one of most prestigious and fashionable neighborhoods Boston has to offer and its splendid architecture, wide boulevards and proximity to the Public Garden and Boston Common make it a showpiece of the city. The Back Bay was once marshy tidewater flats of the Charles River, but filled in during the 1820's by developer Ephraim Marsh, and by the mid-19th century became home to Boston blue-bloods. Commonwealth Avenue, Newbury, Marlborough, and Beacon Streets are among the best addresses in Boston and this neighborhood is shared by both established families and young professionals.

Builders, such as architect Arthur Gilman, prioritized an architecturally integrated neighborhood. He and others created street after street of three and four story brownstone townhouses and mansions constructed of ornate brick and stone. The boundaries of the Back Bay, as defined by the Neighborhood Association of Back Bay, are "the Charles River on the North; Arlington Street to Park Square on the East; Columbus Avenue to the New York New Haven and Hartford right-of-way (South of Stuart Street and Copley Place), Huntington Avenue, Dalton Street, and the Massachusetts Turnpike on the South; and Charlesgate East on the West."

Besides the impressive residences, the Back Bay offers both large retail and small shops, luxury hotels and fine restaurants. Commercial activity is centered along Boylston Street and Newbury Street as well as in what is perhaps the main plaza of Boston: Copley Square. Copley Square features the main branch of the Boston Public Library, several large scale monuments and fountains, as well as the landmark Trinity Church. The high style Romanesque church, designed by architect H.H. Richardson has been considered one of the finest buildings in America. The sixty-story John Hancock Tower rises above the square and there are high end retail stores in the adjacent Copley Place Mall and Prudential Center.

Real estate is highly prized here and the residential market offers mostly condominiums. With its central location and reputation, Back Bay is perhaps the most desirable neighborhood in Boston. In August 2008, the average home sales price for a single family home or condo in Back Bay, MA was $797,691. While this data is collected from the MLS and deemed reliable, it is not guaranteed.

Search for Back Bay homes for sale, Back Bay real estate agents, or recent Back Bay home sales using ZipRealty's real estate tools. Get complete access to all available homes for sale on the MLS in Back Bay and the surrounding areas. ZipRealty lowers the cost of buying or selling a home in Back Bay by giving home buyers 20% of our commission and saving home sellers up to 25% in selling commissions. With experienced, local Back Bay real estate agents who know the area, ZipRealty can help anyone find the home of their dreams.

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