Newton Centre Ranks as Top Fourth Greenest Neighborhood in the Country

Mount Pleasant, Newton Center / Photo via Wikimedia Commons

Newton Centre was just ranked one of the greenest neighborhoods in the country, and not because it’s home to a Green Line stop.

A new report from real estate brokerage Redfin found out which neighborhoods are making strides in sustainable living in 2016. By combing through real estate listings mentioning green features (like “energy star,” “LEED,” “solar,” or “green built,”) analysts compiled the top 10 neighborhoods in the country with the highest percentage of green homes. Newton Centre claims 49 percent.

The neighborhood in Newton, which came in at number four, was beat out by Philadelphia’s Villanova neighborhood, a village in Irvine, California, and Downtown Santa Monica, California.

The analysis points out that while Newton Centre isn’t lining its streets with brand new green homes, Newton landed a top spot on the list because of all the resources residents have available to them. A program supported by nonprofit Green Newton called the “Newton Solar Challenge” offers free home solar evaluations. And a town program, dubbed the Newton Energy $avers initiative, works to help homeowners figure out ways to save energy at home.

Plus, the state of Massachusetts has its own energy-saving programs—Solarize Mass and Mass Save.

“Home inspectors actually include information in their reports regarding the Mass Save program. It provides home buyers with valuable information and money-saving ideas to help them make their homes more energy efficient,” said Nancy Schiff, a Redfin real estate agent in Newton, in a statement.

Downtown Dedham also made an appearance in the top 10, clocking in at number nine. The town’s “Sustainable Dedham Initiative” informs residents about energy conservation, touching on issues like climate change and pollution due to the long-term use of fossil fuels.

“Dedham’s investment in green educational and operational initiatives shows how committed they are to being a more sustainable community,” said Schiff. “They go beyond just installing solar panels, and take the time to educate their residents.”

The report also noted that homeowners can get more bang for their buck by going green. Homes touting green features sold for $33,984 more than the median sale price of all of the homes that Redfin analyzed.

Maybe it’s time to stop dragging your feet on those solar panels.