Boston/Compare
Brighton vs Fenway
Brighton and Fenway are two official planning neighborhoods in Boston. Brighton is the calmer Part I map (79 vs 47). Brighton wins the errand count. Brighton has the lower ACS median ($2,238).
Data vintage. ACS 2024 5-year · BPD Oct 2025 – Sep 2026 · OSM Sep 2026 · updated Sep 2026
Scores
Fit axes among official Boston planning neighborhoods.
| Axis | Brighton | Fenway |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 79 | 47 |
| Schools | 50 | 36 |
| Walk | 26 | 19 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 100 |
| Vibe | 23 | 34 |
| Median rent | $2,238 | $2,241 |
| Median home | $689,762 | $727,953 |
| Population | 48,045 | 33,093 |
| Commute to Downtown | 28 min | 14 min |
| Commute to Seaport | 36 min | 20 min |
| Commute to Longwood | 16 min | 8 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Brighton | Fenway |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 77% | 90% |
| Median age | 29.4 | 23.7 |
| Median income | $94K | $62K |
| Part I per 1k | 10.3 | 14.9 |
| Groceries / 800m | 19 | 15 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 144 | 118 |
| Parks / 800m | 37 | 23 |
| 311 last 14 days | — | — |
Rent
Rent since 2014
ACS 5-year median gross rent for Boston city. Up 65% since 2014. Brighton is 4% above the 2024 city median. Fenway is 4% above the 2024 city median.
Overlapping 5-year ACS windows (B25064), not asking rent. Census does not publish a rent series for each official neighborhood, so the line is the city place. Dashed marks are each area’s ACS 2024 median.
Which to pick
The same numbers as the table, in sentences. Nobody wins the city.
Pick Brighton if the quieter map matters more than the scene and the school rating nearby is the point. Safety is 79 vs 47. Schools score 50 vs 36. Brighton is tagged family on this map; Fenway is not. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick Fenway if you want the cafes and the night and the shorter ride to Downtown is the point. Vibe is 34 vs 23. 14 vs 28 minutes to Downtown. Read both pages before you decide.
Brighton
The western end of the same student river as Allston, with more two-families. Cleveland Circle and Oak Square are the searches. You will ride the B or C more than you walk downtown.
$2,238 median rent · safety 79 · walk 26
Fenway
The park, the students, Kenmore, and Longwood as a search that actually sits next door. Game day is a tax. The rest of the week is apartments and hospitals.
$2,241 median rent · safety 47 · walk 19
Common questions
Same pair, said in questions. The numbers are in the tables.
Which is cheaper, Brighton or Fenway?
Brighton is the lower ACS median: $2,238 vs $2,241. About 77% rent in Brighton vs 90% in Fenway. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Brighton more walkable than Fenway?
Brighton wins the errand count (walk 26 vs 19). Groceries inside 800 meters: 19 vs 15. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Brighton or Fenway?
Brighton is the calmer Part I read (79 vs 47). Combined rate 10.3 vs 14.9 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Brighton or Fenway?
Brighton leads the school axis (50 vs 36). Nearby rating is 6.8 / 10 vs 6.4 / 10. Median age 29.4 vs 23.7. Fenway has more of the night. Neither number is a school assignment.
Which has the shorter commute to Downtown?
28 minutes from Brighton to Downtown, 14 from Fenway. Fenway is the shorter weekday. Not this hour's traffic.
If you drop both
Closest official planning neighborhood that is not Brighton or Fenway: Allston. Harvard Ave and Brighton Ave are the night. Students, late buses, and a rent that still undercuts Back Bay. Brookline is the next city over, not this official polygon.
Scores are relative among official Boston planning neighborhoods with the same editorial weights. Read the method.