Upper Back Bay

Back Bay

Overview

Known for its rows of meticulously planned—and preserved—Victorian brownstones, the streets of Upper Back Bay offer some of the finest examples of 19th-century urban planning in the country. This fashionable, upscale neighborhood offers a seamless marriage of residential charm and commercial appeal, with abundant dining and shopping options within walking distance of its neighborhood streets.

Upper Back Bay with Katie Garger


The Back Bay has a best-of-all-worlds appeal, making it an enviable place to call home. So it is no surprise that property here is some of the most coveted in Boston. Together, let’s wander the streets of Back Bay, take in its charm, and learn what makes each of its sub-neighborhoods unique. We will start with Katie’s personal favorite: Upper Back Bay. Upper Back Bay is situated on the southern bank of the Charles River and occupies a tidy grid in the northwestern portion of the Back Bay. Bordered on the north by the river, the southern boundary runs along Boylston Street from Charles gate to Dartmouth Street, which form its western and eastern boundaries, respectively. Falling in love with Back Bay already? So are we! See you in Lower Back Bay….

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Location

Situated on the southern bank of the Charles River, Upper Back Bay occupies a tidy grid in the northwestern portion of the Back Bay. Bounded on the north by the river, Upper Back Bay’s southern boundary runs along Boylston Street from just past Massachusetts Avenue to Dartmouth Street, which form its western and eastern boundaries, respectively. Adjacent to the Lower Back Bay, this neighborhood consists of the numerically higher addresses on Comm Ave, Marlborough and Beacon Streets.

Market

In 2023, 45 properties traded above $2M, and added $171,562,500 to the total sales volume in Back Bay. The price per square foot in the area rose  to $1,583 which is almost a 6% increase from the past two years: $1,504 (2022 avg), $1,497 (2021 avg).

This is usually an area where we see more value, so it’s notable that there were no sales in this sub-neighborhood that traded under $1,000/sq. ft. Instead, the lowest price per square foot we saw trade in 2023 was at 191 Commonwealth Ave., #3, which achieved $1,162/sq. ft. – a strong increase from the $900/sq. ft’s we used to see in this sub-neighborhood!

We believe when real estate consumers are presented with a complete and robust spread of data, in conjunction with their personal preferences, decisions can be reached with the most confidence.

For more sales data and details on it’s sub-neighborhoods check out our Boston Luxury Real Estate Review >