Boston’s Ten Most Popular Neighborhoods For Renters

Photo by Olga Khvan

Apartment hunting for September 1 is, and may always be, an ordeal.

Searches are usually wrapped up by May (note: if you’re still hunting—good luck to you!), which makes Zumper’s newly released May data especially interesting.

The apartment rental platform combed over thousands of inquiries about rental properties in Boston. By looking at all of the emails and calls received, Zumper calculated renter interest by neighborhood. The result is the Zumper Neighborhood Report—a study that shows the top ten most in-demand areas of a city. Unsuprisingly, Boston’s list was made up of quite a few student-heavy zones.

Topping the chart is the “Fenway – Kenmore – Audubon Circle – Longwood” area. Kenmore had nine percent more inquiries than its runner-up, Mission Hill. Here are the top ten:

1. Fenway – Kenmore – Audubon Circle – Longwood
2. Mission Hill
3. Allston – Brighton
4. Back Bay
5. Roxbury
6. East Boston
7. Cambridge
8. D Street – West Broadway
9. South End
10. North End

In a more detailed breakdown, Zumper noted which apartment types were inquired about most. One bedroom units commanded the majority of renter interest, making up 32 percent of inquiries around a median price of $2,000. Close behind are two-bedroom units, making up 30 percent of renter inquiries at a median price of $2,300.

At the other end of the spectrum, three- and four-bedroom units created the least amount of renter interest, contributing 13 and four percent of inquiries, respectively. That might suggest the last-minute September searchers aren’t joining up with multiple roommates. (Or they are, and it’s very cramped.)

Either way, the ten neighborhoods that drummed up a hefty amount of interest still have a fair number of apartments available through Zumper. You can see the listings here.