Heat Index 2025: Which Boston Neighborhoods Are Leading the Real Estate Market?

Year-to-date snapshot (Jan – May 2025) of 13 core neighborhoods, ranked by speed, sale-to-list muscle, and price momentum.


The Highlights

Homes in Melrose now go under agreement in 9.5 days—about 8.5 days faster than a year ago—while Brookline condos are taking a more measured 23 days to find a buyer. The moral: Greater Boston isn’t cooling; the heat has simply shifted ZIP codes. Let’s dig into the numbers, crown 2025’s hottest pockets, and flag where buyers are still clamoring.

Quick Scoreboard

Rank Market Avg Days Sale/Ask % Price Δ YoY Heat Index*

1 Melrose SF 9.5 109.7 % +10.1 % 3.7

2 Arlington SF 12.9 108.9 % +11.0 % 3.7

3 Medford SF 13.9 105.7 % + 5.6 % 6.7

4 Hyde Park SF 29.3 105.1 % +24.3 % 7.0

5 West Roxbury Condos 21.8 101.9 % +32.7 % 7.7

*Lower = hotter. Heat Index = (speed rank + sale/ask rank + price-growth rank) ÷ 3 across all condo + single-family combos in the focus set.

Neighborhood Spotlights

Jamaica Plain – steady sizzle
Condos accepted offers in 28.2 days (-3.0 YoY) on 108 closings, prices up +2.1 %, and fetched 104.1 % of asking (3rd out of 35 Suffolk condo markets). SFs held steady at 35.9 days, still selling for 104.8 % of ask.

Roslindale – sleeper-hot rise
Condos tightened to 26.8 days (-5.1) on 40 deals, prices rose +4.0 %, sale/ask 101.9 %. SFs shaved to 29.8 days, prices up +1.2 %.

West Roxbury – balanced but brisk
Condos: 21.8 days, fastest in Suffolk, price up +32.7 %. SFs: 18.3 days, sale/ask 104.9 %.

Needham – pause before the push
SFs slowed to 26.8 days (+2.4), sale/ask 102.1 %, prices +5.5 %. Condos: 20.3 days, even YoY.

Newton – textbook steady
SFs: 13.3 days (-0.4), sale/ask 105.4 %, prices flat. Condos: 21.0 days, sale/ask 103.4 %.

Brookline – luxury plateau
Condos: 23.0 days (+0.7), prices flat, 6th of 27 Norfolk condos. SFs: 18.6 days, sale/ask 103.6 %.

Cambridge – condo cooldown
Condos: 35.9 days (+3.8), sale/ask 101.4 %, prices flat. SFs: 27.3 days, sale/ask 102.0 %.

Somerville – condo comeback
Condos: 19.0 days (-9.8), sale/ask 103.7 %, prices +17.5 %. SFs: 42.9 days, reflective of fixer inventory.

Arlington – breakout
SFs: 12.9 days, 108.9 % of ask, prices +11.0 %. Condos: 17.4 days, sale/ask 103.1 %.

Medford – right-size sweet spot
SFs: 13.9 days, sale/ask 105.7 %, prices +5.6 %. Condos: 18.0 days, sale/ask 101.1 %.

Melrose – hands-down hottest
SFs: 9.5 days, sale/ask 109.7 %, prices +10.1 %. Condos: 18.0 days, sale/ask 101.1 %.

Hyde Park – value-hunter’s heat
SFs: 29.3 days (-21.7), sale/ask 105.1 %, prices +24.3 %. Condos: 29.8 days, sale/ask 100.7 %.

Milton – family magnet
SFs: 22.4 days (-19.8), sale/ask 104.6 %, prices +6.2 %. Condos: 25.3 days, sale/ask 102.4 %.

Bang for Your Buck: Who’s Delivering the Most House for the Price?

Square footage doesn’t tell the whole story—but it tells a lot. If you’re looking for size, function, and flexibility, here’s where your dollar goes the furthest:

Hyde Park leads the pack, with buyers paying about $442 per square foot for homes that often come with parking and 3+ bedrooms. Medford and Melrose aren’t far behind, delivering homes in the $480–490/sqft range—still comfortably under the $500 line that Boston’s inner core crossed years ago.

Compare that to Brookline or Cambridge, where average single-family homes push north of $700–800/sqft, and it’s clear: If your wish list includes room to grow, space to park, or a proper guest room, these value-rich zips should be on your radar.

Trends Worth Noting

  • Urban-edge revival. Arlington, Somerville, and Medford condos all sped up and priced up.

  • Luxury plateau. Brookline and Cambridge SF/condo markets held firm but flatlined on growth.

  • Family-move timing. Needham and Milton SF volume dipped as some sellers target fall.

  • Inventory yo-yo. JP, Roslindale, and West Roxbury listings keep bouncing between price bands.

2025 Hot List

  1. Melrose SF – Fastest-moving and best-performing in sale-to-list.

  2. Arlington SF – Under 2 weeks to accepted offer, 109 % of ask, +11 % appreciation from last year.

  3. Medford SF – Affordable, fast, with 5.6 % price growth since 2024.

Honorable mentions: Arlington condos, West Roxbury condos, Hyde Park SF.

Final Thought

Razor-thin inventory means buyers still have to sprint—not jog—in our hottest pockets. Yet opportunities still exist in slower-moving sectors like Hyde Park condos or Brookline’s plateauing luxury tier. We’ll look at the numbers more closely in July after Q2-2025 concludes and the dust settles.

Want specific data on your town or area? Looking to compare a few different areas as you set your sites on your next (or first) home? We’ve got your covered. Our market data curation is unlike any other you’ll find out here on the interwebs and we’re more than happy to share it! We understand that smart decisions come from good data and professional insight.

The Boston Home Team

In 2021 real estate team, the BJ & Meredith Realty Group joined forces with Beth Maguire to form a super trio! In 2022, they acquired the name and rebranded themselves as The Boston Home Team. With more than 30 years of professional experience and hundreds of successful real estate transactions between them, they are ready to handle all of your real estate needs.

http://bostonhometeam.com
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