Where are the coolest neighborhoods in the U.S.? And are any of them located in Boston?
Real estate brokerage Cushman & Wakefield set out to locate those neighborhoods with its “Cool Streets Report,” and three Boston areas – Jamaica Plain, Davis Square, and Allston-Brighton – made the cut.
Surveying hundreds of real estate professionals throughout the country, Cushman & Wakefield rated neighborhoods with several factors, including: the area’s Millennial population; its level of college education; its walkability; its diversity; and the food, music, and arts scene.
Most importantly, the survey also rated the neighborhoods on a scale of coolness – Jamaica Plain is “edgy cool, but in its infancy,” while Davis Square is “prime hipness,” and Allston-Brighton is “up and coming, the next big thing.”
Here is a detailed chart on the survey’s rankings for Boston’s neighborhoods; note that amenities are rated on a scale of one to four, with four being the highest.
| Neighborhood Features | Jamaica Plain | Davis Square | Allston-Brighton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Population | 179,480 | 180,867 | 202,518 |
| Average Household Income | $89,315 | $101,968 | $104,364 |
| % College Educated | 69.9% | 75% | 80.70% |
| % Millennials | 35.5% | 39.0% | 49.30% |
| % Renters | 69% | 62.6% | 69.20% |
| Walkability | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| Bicycle Friendly | 4 | 3 | 4 |
| Public Transit | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Diversity | 4 | 4 | 3 |
| Access to Higher Ed | 2 | 4 | 4 |
| Restaurants | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Nightlife | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| Music Venues | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| Art Scene | 3 | 4 | 2 |
| Vintage/Thrift | 3 | 2 | 3 |