A Look Inside Boston’s Priciest Neighborhood

In the 02115 ZIP Code, buyers fork over more per square foot than anywhere in the U.S. By Jessica Flint | Photographs by Philip Keith for The Wall Street Journal Jan. 31, 2024 Tap story

Median price for residential real estate $2,663 per square foot, according to December data from Realtor.com. 02115 ZIP Code has the priciest median residential real estate as ranked by price per square foot in the U.S.

In the heart of Boston, the 02115 ZIP Code is largely dominated by hospitals , museums , educational institutions and student housing . Harvard Medical School in the Longwood Medical Area. Photo: Brian Snyder/Reuters { "selector": ".wsj--ani-media-pan", "duration": "10s", "easing": "ease-out", "fill": "forwards", "keyframes": [ {"transform": "translateX(-15px) scale(1.1)"}, {"transform": "translateX(15px) scale(1.1) "} ] }

It also seeps into the upscale Back Bay neighborhood , which includes a small concentration of high-value residential buildings and historic brownstones. Getty

An outsize factor in the ZIP code’s expensive per square footage is One Dalton. The 61-story tower opened in 2019 and has a Four Seasons hotel with 158 private residences.

Sales in One Dalton have reached $4,000+ per square foot { "selector": ".wsj--ani-text-fade", "duration": "2s", "easing": "ease-out", "keyframes": [ {"opacity": "0"}, { "opacity": "1"} ] } Advice for buyers

Notable stops and shops The 02115 ZIP Code is home to globally iconic cultural institutions along with high - end shops , restaurants and significant green space . Symphony Hall, home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston : This renowned art museum’s extensive collection features nearly 500,000 artworks spanning the globe and the ages. Highlights include one of the largest collections of Claude Monet’s work outside of France.

Back Bay Fens : Known to locals as “the Fens,” this park has many nooks and crannies, including a 7-acre community garden with 500 plots for local gardeners, the formal James P. Kelleher Rose Garden , war memorials and ballfields .

Deuxave Restaurant and Bar : Chef Christopher Coombs oversees the culinary vision at this Back Bay modern French restaurant, which Coombs co-owns with restaurateur Brian Piccini. The spot has been serving up a fine dining experience without white tablecloths since 2010. Deuxave french onion soup.

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum : Isabella Stewart Gardner had this art museum built for her. Inspired by 15th-century Venetian palace architecture, the building’s construction began in 1899 and was mostly completed by 1901.

Newbury Street : In the Back Bay, this roughly mile-long street is lined with shops , restaurants , art galleries and salons . High-end global retailers mix with eclectic haunts. Read the full story

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