Boston/Compare
Jamaica Plain vs Roslindale
Jamaica Plain and Roslindale are two official planning neighborhoods in Boston. Roslindale is the calmer Part I map (100 vs 37). Jamaica Plain wins the errand count. Roslindale has the lower ACS median ($2,057).
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 | Jamaica Plain | Roslindale |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 37 | 100 |
| Schools | 75 | 64 |
| Walk | 23 | 5 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 100 |
| Vibe | 27 | 0 |
| Median rent | $2,128 | $2,057 |
| Median home | $843,190 | $680,810 |
| Population | 44,235 | 27,364 |
| Commute to Downtown | 22 min | 30 min |
| Commute to Seaport | 26 min | 32 min |
| Commute to Longwood | 14 min | 24 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Jamaica Plain | Roslindale |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 56% | 43% |
| Median age | 36.4 | 39.2 |
| Median income | $134K | $115K |
| Part I per 1k | 16.4 | 6.5 |
| Groceries / 800m | 18 | 3 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 119 | 132 |
| Parks / 800m | 60 | 16 |
| 311 last 14 days | — | — |
Rent
Rent since 2014
ACS 5-year median gross rent for Boston city. Up 65% since 2014. JP is 1% below the 2024 city median. Rozzie is 4% 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 Jamaica Plain if you want the cafes and the night and you want the errands on foot. Vibe is 27 vs 0. Walk is 23 vs 5. Schools score 75 vs 64. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick Roslindale if the quieter map matters more than the scene. Safety is 100 vs 37. Read both pages before you decide.
Jamaica Plain
JP: the Pond, Centre Street, and the first stop for people who want a porch without leaving the city line. The Southwest Corridor is the spine.
$2,128 median rent · safety 37 · walk 23
Roslindale
Rozzie Square is the village. The Arnold Arboretum is the park you share with JP. More house than South End, less trip than West Roxbury.
$2,057 median rent · safety 100 · walk 5
Common questions
Same pair, said in questions. The numbers are in the tables.
Which is cheaper, Jamaica Plain or Roslindale?
Roslindale is the lower ACS median: $2,128 vs $2,057. About 43% rent in Roslindale vs 56% in Jamaica Plain. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Jamaica Plain more walkable than Roslindale?
Jamaica Plain wins the errand count (walk 23 vs 5). Groceries inside 800 meters: 18 vs 3. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Jamaica Plain or Roslindale?
Roslindale is the calmer Part I read (100 vs 37). Combined rate 6.5 vs 16.4 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Jamaica Plain or Roslindale?
Jamaica Plain leads the school axis (75 vs 64). Nearby rating is 7.5 / 10 vs 7.2 / 10. Median age 36.4 vs 39.2. Neither number is a school assignment.
Which has the shorter commute to Downtown?
22 minutes from Jamaica Plain to Downtown, 30 from Roslindale. Jamaica Plain is the shorter weekday. Not this hour's traffic.
If you drop both
Closest official planning neighborhood that is not Jamaica Plain or Roslindale: Roxbury. Dudley, Nubian Square, and a lot of city history in one official line. New infill sits next to older streets. Weight the numbers honestly; do not skip the page.
Scores are relative among official Boston planning neighborhoods with the same editorial weights. Read the method.