Mission Hill, Boston

Mission Hill, Boston

Mission Hill is a 3/4 square mile neighborhood of Boston, with the population of approximately 18,000 people.

The neighborhood is roughly bounded by Columbus Avenue and the Boston neighborhood of Roxbury to the east, Longwood Avenue to the northeast and the Olmsted designed Riverway/Jamaicaway and the town of Brookline to the west. The Historic District is roughly bounded by Smith St., Worthington St., Tremont St., and Huntington Ave. It is immediately north of the Boston neighborhood of Jamaica Plain. It is served by the MBTA Green Line E Branch and the Orange Line and is within walking distance of the Museum of Fine Arts. "The Hill" overlaps with about half of the Longwood Medical and Academic Area, home to 21 health care, research, education institutions and are responsible for the largest employment area in the City of Boston outside of downtown. Due to these adjacencies, the neighborhood is often struggling with institutional growth taking residential buildings and occupying storefront commercial space. But recent years have seen new retail stores, restaurants and residential development giving the neighborhood a stronger political voice and identity.

Mission Hill is an architectural landmark district with a combination of freestanding houses built by early wealthy landowners, blocks of traditional brick rowhouses, and many Triple decker. Many are condominiums, but there are also several two-family and some single-family homes.

The neighborhood was named in March 2008 as one of 25 "Best Zip Codes in Massachusetts" by the Boston Globe, citing increased value in single-family homes, plentiful restaurants and shopping, a marked racial diversity and that 65% of residents walk, bike or take transit to work.