What Is Boston Known For? These 10 Things (And More)

Boston has a serious burden to shoulder. Six US states collectively known as New England—Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut—point to the city as evidence that they’re important. But what is Boston known for exactly? Here’s a superficial take.

 

History

Incorporated in 1630 and named after a port town on the east coast of England, Boston is one of the oldest cities in the US (as measured by post-Columbian history). It was key in the lead up to the American Revolution—think Boston Massacre and Boston Tea Party—and the first military engagements of the war for independence took place nearby in 1775. A couple centuries later, the capital city of Massachusetts went through a Rust Belt phase—the city’s population fell from 801,444 in 1950 to 562,994 in 1980. Since then, of course, things have looked up.

 

People

Boston has a population of 675,647 (per the 2020 Census), and the Greater Boston metropolitan area is home to about 4.9 million, making it the 11th-largest metropolitan area in the US. An even broader combined statistical area encompasses 8.2 million people. With all those people comes traffic, and Boston can show up at the top of lists of cities with the worst traffic in the country.

 

Intelligence

A lot of the aforementioned people are pretty smart, and as the stereotype goes, they’re not afraid to let you know about it. According to one study, of the 150 largest metropolitan areas in the US, Boston is the seventh most educated.

 

Universities

In keeping with the whole intelligence thing, according to US News & World Report, two of the three best universities in the country are in the Boston area, namely Harvard and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). There are also a ton of other universities—in fact, the Boston region receives the second largest amount of grant funding from the National Institutes of Health after only New York City.

 

The Economy

Boston has the 15th-largest metropolitan GDP in the world. While the region is a hub for biotechnology and serves as the headquarters for companies like Fidelity, Liberty Mutual, GE, New Balance, and Reebok, the most important company the metro area has produced is…not Boston Market but…Dunkin’. (It’s no Tim Hortons, but still.) Unfortunately, any time you have an economy, things can get a bit pricey—Boston is considered one of the 10 most expensive locations in the US.

 

Water

The city is located on Boston Harbor (site of the Boston Tea Party), which is contiguous with Massachusetts Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. Emptying into Boston Harbor is the Charles River, home of the Head of the Charles Regatta, often billed as one of the largest rowing regattas in the world.

 

Food

Once you get tired of Dunkin’, there’s some other stuff to munch on. That list includes Boston baked beans (typically cooked in a sauce made with molasses), all sorts of seafood (New England clam chowder, lobster, oysters, etc.), and Boston cream pie. You could even go Chinese in what some label as the third largest Chinatown in the US (after New York and San Francisco). No matter what you choose, you have to wash it down with a Sam Adams—this is, after all, the city that inspired the classic sitcom Cheers.

 

Sports

Boston has teams in all five major American professional sports leagues—the National Football League (NFL), Major League Baseball (MLB), the National Basketball Association (NBA), the National Hockey League (NHL), and Major League Soccer (MLS). Combined, its current teams in those leagues have won a total of 38 championships! Plus the city hosts the iconic Boston Marathon and that regatta mentioned above. But be warned—those same people who like to tell you how smart they are also enjoy sharing information about the sports scene.

 

Arts and Music

At least by one measure, Boston is the sixth most arts-vibrant large metropolitan area (over one million residents) in the US. And while the city is not necessarily known as a hotbed of musical talent, it holds its own as home to the Berklee College of Music, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and bands such as Aerosmith, Boston (named after the city), Pixies, The Cars, New Edition, and New Kids on the Block. Here’s one of the greatest songs the city has produced.

 

An Accent

It’s hard to miss a strong Boston accent. Have a listen.

 

As you might imagine, Boston can’t be known for everything. In other words, it’s no Rochester, NY.

(This article was updated on August 8, 2023.)