Boston/Compare
Charlestown vs East Boston
Charlestown and East Boston are two official planning neighborhoods in Boston. Charlestown is the calmer Part I map (89 vs 58). East Boston wins the errand count. East Boston has the lower ACS median ($1,918).
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 | Charlestown | East Boston |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 89 | 58 |
| Schools | 71 | 29 |
| Walk | 4 | 65 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 100 |
| Vibe | 16 | 57 |
| Median rent | $1,943 | $1,918 |
| Median home | $915,949 | $664,819 |
| Population | 20,032 | 40,017 |
| Commute to Downtown | 14 min | 18 min |
| Commute to Seaport | 18 min | 16 min |
| Commute to Longwood | 28 min | 32 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Charlestown | East Boston |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 50% | 71% |
| Median age | 36.8 | 35.2 |
| Median income | $157K | $86K |
| Part I per 1k | 8.7 | 13.4 |
| Groceries / 800m | 5 | 66 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 78 | 130 |
| Parks / 800m | 52 | 92 |
| 311 last 14 days | — | — |
Rent
Rent since 2014
ACS 5-year median gross rent for Boston city. Up 65% since 2014. Charlestown is 10% below the 2024 city median. Eastie is 11% 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 Charlestown if the school rating nearby is the point and the quieter map matters more than the scene. Schools score 71 vs 29. Safety is 89 vs 58. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick East Boston if you want the errands on foot and you want the cafes and the night. Walk is 65 vs 4. Vibe is 57 vs 16. Read both pages before you decide.
Charlestown
The Navy Yard, the monument, and a peninsula that still feels slightly separate. The bridge is the commute. Family streets sit two blocks off the tourist path.
$1,943 median rent · safety 89 · walk 4
East Boston
Eastie: the airport, the water taxi, and streets that still feel like a neighborhood that was not supposed to get this expensive. Maverick and Orient Heights are the T stops.
$1,918 median rent · safety 58 · walk 65
Common questions
Same pair, said in questions. The numbers are in the tables.
Which is cheaper, Charlestown or East Boston?
East Boston is the lower ACS median: $1,943 vs $1,918. About 71% rent in East Boston vs 50% in Charlestown. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Charlestown more walkable than East Boston?
East Boston wins the errand count (walk 4 vs 65). Groceries inside 800 meters: 5 vs 66. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Charlestown or East Boston?
Charlestown is the calmer Part I read (89 vs 58). Combined rate 8.7 vs 13.4 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Charlestown or East Boston?
Charlestown leads the school axis (71 vs 29). Nearby rating is 7.4 / 10 vs 6.2 / 10. Median age 36.8 vs 35.2. East Boston has more of the night. Neither number is a school assignment.
Which has the shorter commute to Downtown?
14 minutes from Charlestown to Downtown, 18 from East Boston. Charlestown is the shorter weekday. Not this hour's traffic.
If you drop both
Closest official planning neighborhood that is not Charlestown or East Boston: North End. Hanover Street is the postcard. The alleys are where people actually live. You will hear the tourists. You will also walk to a grocery if you picked the right block.
Scores are relative among official Boston planning neighborhoods with the same editorial weights. Read the method.