Welcome to Dorchester
Considered Boston’s largest neighborhood, Dorchester offers diversity in both culture and architecture
Filled with several diverse sub-neighborhoods, this melting pot community is a bustling hub of new development and historic restoration. Home to the country’s first elementary school, Dorchester traces its roots back to 1630 and presently celebrates its cultural milestones with a number of museums and monuments.
Approximately 126,000 residents spread across Dorchester’s six square miles, making it Boston’s largest and most populous neighborhood. Real estate here is diverse: Chic, renovated industrial lofts and condos are sprinkled among stately single-family homes and classic triple-deckers. The neighborhood has witnessed a revitalization over the past decade, with real estate values more than doubling and many trendy restaurants, cafes, and eateries burgeoning.
Bordered by the Neponset River and Boston Harbor, residents here enjoy many riverfront activities, harbor beaches, and seasonal boating opportunities.
What to Love
- The diversity
- A great mix of housing—you’ll find lofts, condos, and stately homes on the same block
- Eclectic restaurant scene offering a variety of cuisines from around the world
People & Lifestyle
The population of Dorchester is internationally diverse, which is represented in the area’s various sub-neighborhoods. There’s the Polish Triangle, where many markets, restaurants, and bakeries sell kielbasa, paczki, and other Central European favorites, while Vietnamese, Jamaican, and Irish populations are represented in Fields Corner, Codman Square, and Adams Village, respectively. In Jones Hill and Ashmont, you’ll find a proud sector of LBGTQ+ residents.
Dining, Entertainment & Shopping
There is plenty to do in Dorchester. Love craft beer?
Dorchester Brewing features 20 draft lines pouring pints of housemade suds, plus facilities available to outside craft brewers. Its Tap Room also features a Hopservatory, four-season rooftop greenhouse, game room, and restaurant.
At the rustic
Bowery Bar, you’ll find innovative cocktails and pizza, and Mud House offers a wide selection of coffees and quick eats.
American Provisions—a boutique grocer and deli—sells hand-selected artisan cheeses and cured meats as well as natural wine and craft beer. Their sandwiches have been called “life-changing.”
Schools
Dorchester is home to numerous excellent schools. Top educational opportunities include:
- Richard J. Murphy Elementary School, K-8
- Boston Collegiate Charter School, 5–12
- Boston Latin Academy, 7-12
- Jeremiah E Burke High School, 9-12
- The University of Massachusetts Boston, an accredited urban public research university and the second-largest campus in the
- University of Massachusetts system, is located on Columbia Point in Dorchester
- Labouré College is a Roman Catholic co-educational college offering associate degrees in nursing and the health sciences. It is located on the Carney Hospital campus near the Lower Mills section of Dorchester
