Boston "Top Places to Live" is Live!
Big news in local publishing—Boston Magazine’s Top Places to Live is officially live! This inaugural ranking marks a groundbreaking moment, not just for Boston, but for media publishers looking to harness the power of data-driven storytelling. Built on the DeepCityData (DCD) system by DataJoe, this project delivers unparalleled insights into what makes a city or town truly great.
The Power of Data Meets Local Storytelling
For decades, Boston Magazine has been covering the best places to live in Greater Boston as an editorial feature. Now, they’ve taken it to the next level with their first-ever comprehensive data-driven ranking.
This was a colossal collaboration between juggernauts — the deep community storytelling of Boston magazine, paired with the rabid data strategy and execution of DataJoe. The result was stunning.
But how do you quantify what makes a city great?
That’s where DataJoe’s DeepCityData comes in. We pulled data from every corner—census reports, FBI crime data, health department records, and more—across eight key categories: housing, safety, transit, health, diversity, education, employment, and entertainment. The result? A full ranking of 141 cities and towns within Massachusetts’ I-495 boundary, offering a practical, data-backed look at what makes a place desirable.
📍 See the full rankings here: 141 Cities and Towns Ranked 📍 Explore the in-depth analysis: Top 15 Places to Live in Greater Boston for 2025
More Than Just Numbers—It’s About the Stories
Data is just the foundation. The real magic happens in Top Places to Live, where Boston Magazine took the numbers and turned them into rich editorial storytelling. As they put it:
“Most people want to buy in a place where home values keep rising. They want to live somewhere safe, with easy access to shops, restaurants, and healthcare. They want to settle in an area with a diverse range of people and perspectives. And if they have kids, they definitely want those school ratings to shine.”
By combining hard data with local insights, this project allows readers to explore their region, compare cities, and uncover the hidden stories behind the rankings.
A Case Study in Speed and Innovation
Here’s what makes this launch even more impressive: Boston Magazine came to us with an idea and a tight turnaround. From concept to completion, we helped them build this fully realized product in under three months. That’s the kind of entrepreneurial partnership that defines DataJoe.
Our core values—humility, dependability, passion, and creativity—drive our ability to deliver world-class data projects on time, every time.
Monetizing Local Insights
For publishers looking to bring this model to their own markets, Top Places to Live isn’t just great journalism—it’s a revenue engine. It’s a context for local advertisers to show pride in the cities where they live and work. This was conceived as a place for real estate agents and real estate-adjacent industries to link themselves with the cities where they live and work.
Want to Bring This to Your Publication?
This isn’t just Boston’s success—it’s a blueprint for publishers everywhere looking to build high-value, data-driven editorial products. If you’re ready to explore how DeepCityData can power your next great content initiative, let’s talk.
📅 Schedule a call with Johnny Levy: calendly.com/connection-for-progress
Boston’s Top Places to Live is live—and this is just the beginning.