Boston/Compare
Brighton vs Mission Hill
Brighton and Mission Hill are two official planning neighborhoods in Boston. Brighton is the calmer Part I map (79 vs 68). Brighton wins the errand count. Mission Hill has the lower ACS median ($1,785).
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 | Mission Hill |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 79 | 68 |
| Schools | 50 | 21 |
| Walk | 26 | 0 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 100 |
| Vibe | 23 | 12 |
| Median rent | $2,238 | $1,785 |
| Median home | $689,762 | $869,287 |
| Population | 48,045 | 15,407 |
| Commute to Downtown | 28 min | 16 min |
| Commute to Seaport | 36 min | 22 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 | Mission Hill |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 77% | 90% |
| Median age | 29.4 | 27.2 |
| Median income | $94K | $65K |
| Part I per 1k | 10.3 | 11.6 |
| Groceries / 800m | 19 | 5 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 144 | 73 |
| Parks / 800m | 37 | 42 |
| 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. Mission is 17% below 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 school rating nearby is the point and you want the errands on foot. Schools score 50 vs 21. Walk is 26 vs 0. Safety is 79 vs 68. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick Mission Hill if the rent gap is the point and the shorter ride to Downtown is the point. ACS median rent is $1,785 vs $2,238. 16 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
Mission Hill
The hill above the Longwood hospitals. Students, brick, and a walk to the Fens. Quieter than Fenway’s bars, tighter than JP’s porches.
$1,785 median rent · safety 68 · walk 0
Common questions
Same pair, said in questions. The numbers are in the tables.
Which is cheaper, Brighton or Mission Hill?
Mission Hill is the lower ACS median: $2,238 vs $1,785. About 90% rent in Mission Hill vs 77% in Brighton. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Brighton more walkable than Mission Hill?
Brighton wins the errand count (walk 26 vs 0). Groceries inside 800 meters: 19 vs 5. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Brighton or Mission Hill?
Brighton is the calmer Part I read (79 vs 68). Combined rate 10.3 vs 11.6 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Brighton or Mission Hill?
Brighton leads the school axis (50 vs 21). Nearby rating is 6.8 / 10 vs 6.0 / 10. Median age 29.4 vs 27.2. Neither number is a school assignment.
Which has the shorter commute to Downtown?
28 minutes from Brighton to Downtown, 16 from Mission Hill. Mission Hill is the shorter weekday. Not this hour's traffic.
If you drop both
Closest official planning neighborhood that is not Brighton or Mission Hill: 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.