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Boston Neighborhoods

Allston Originally part of Brighton. Its large apartment blocks, cheap dining, and proximity to several large universities makes it home to a large student population.	Back Bay Large, well-preserved 19th century Victorian district. Originally created from landfill, it quickly became one of the most exclusive areas in the city.
Bay Village Located on the site of an 1820s landfill project, contains a large number of row houses built by the same craftsmen who built the houses on Beacon Hill.	Beacon Hill Wealthy neighborhood of Federal row houses, with the highest property values in the US. Also the location of the Massachusetts State House.
Brighton Originally the Town of Brighton, a bustling agricultural area. Annexed by Boston in 1874, population dramatically increased during the same time period.	Charlestown Separated from downtown Boston by the Charles River, annexed by Boston in 1874. Site of Bunker Hill, the Charlestown Navy Yard, and many unique buildings.
Chinatown Full of beautifully restored theaters, restaurants, the Leather District, and the last vestiges of the now-defunct Combat Zone.	Dorchester The largest neighborhood in Boston, it was mainly a rural farming community when annexed in 1870. Today it's a working class area and the center of immigration in the city.
Downtown Set between the Boston Common and Boston Harbor, contains a compact mix of new skyscrapers and historic buildings that have been the center of finance and government in Boston since the city was founded.	East Boston Five islands in Boston Harbor connected by landfill; annexed by Boston in 1636. Today a working-class neighborhood and home to Logan Airport.
Fenway/Kenmore Although primarily middle class walk-up apartment buildings and student housing, gentrification is expanding outwards from the Kenmore Square area. Home to several art museums and Fenway Park.	Harvard University Although officially sited in Cambridge, Harvard's medical school, business school, and athletic facilities are located in Boston. A major expansion of Harvard's facilities in Boston is underway.
Hyde Park This southernmost neighborhood of Boston was originally a separate town, annexed by Boston in 1912. The area is more suburban than urban, and is home to the largest golf course in the city.	Jamaica Plain Streetcar suburb turned immigration melting pot, Jamaica Plain was originally part of Roxbury and was annexed by Boston in 1874.
Mattapan Originally part of Dorchester, Mattapan was annexed by Boston in 1870. The neighborhood was developed as a street car community, but "blockbusting" during the 1970s led to a rapid deterioration it has never recovered from.	Mission Hill Part of Roxbury until recently, Mission Hill contains the Longwood Medical District. The small neighborhood contains a mix of architecturally significant homes and row houses, along with three-deckers that have mostly been converted to condos.
North End Boston's oldest residential community. The North End has been home to several waves of immigration, most recently from Italy.	Roslindale Southwestern streetcar suburb that was annexed by Boston in 1873. The area was originally known as South Street Station, but changed its name to Roslindale in the 1880s to comply with Post Office regulations.
Roxbury One of the original six villages established in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, Roxbury was annexed by Boston in 1868. A diverse immigrant neighborhood, the introduction of crack cocaine in the 1980s made Roxbury the center of gang violence in Boston.	South Boston Densely populated, predominately Irish-Catholic neighborhood more commonly known as "Southie". Southie is the new home of the Boston Convention Center and several high-rise hotels.
South End Originally a marshy area filled in as the first stage of the Back Bay project. A large Victorian district with many restaurants and a thriving artist community.	West End Situated behind Beacon Hill, the West End was almost completely rebuilt during the Urban Renewal of the 1960s.
West Roxbury Originally part of the Town of Roxbury and mostly farmland, West Roxbury became its own town in 1851 and was annexed by Boston in 1874. Predominately an Irish neighborhood with a large civil servant population, single-family homes are the most common structure.