Apartments to rent in Columbia Point, Boston

Columbia Point is the Dorchester peninsula south of downtown Boston anchored by UMass Boston, the JFK Presidential Library & Museum and the Harbor Point redevelopment. A waterfront neighborhood with a university campus, coastal parks and easy Red Line access (JFK/UMass), Columbia Point is a distinct pocket of Dorchester with many newer apartments as well as long-established community anchors.

Nearby Neighborhoods Comparison

NeighborhoodsCostSchoolsSafetyWalkability
Columbia Point Average Fair Safe Good
Savin Hill Average Good Safe Excellent
South Boston High Good Safe Excellent
Jones Hill Low Fair Less Safe Good
Neponset / Port Norfolk Average Fair Safe Fair
Excellent/Good
Average
Poor/Less Safe

Source: Zumper

Columbia Point, Boston Rental Prices

Studio
$2,100 – $2,800
1 bedroom
$1,900 – $2,700
2 bedroom
$2,600 – $3,400
3 bedroom
$2,900 – $3,800

Source: Zumper

Rentals available in Columbia Point, Boston

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Columbia Point, Boston Schools & Education

Top Public Schools

Excel High School

⭐ 1/10 GreatSchools
95 G St, South Boston, MA 02127
🧭 ~1.5 mi (serves older students in the area)

Top Private Schools

Boston College High School

⭐ Not rated School website / NAIS directory
150 William T. Morrissey Blvd, Boston, MA 02125
🧭 In-neighborhood (Columbia Point / Morrissey Blvd)

Source: GreatSchools, Boston Public Schools

Columbia Point, Boston Safety & Crime Overview

Safe

Columbia Point is generally considered one of the safer pockets of Dorchester — anchored by institutional uses (UMass Boston, the JFK Library) and the Harbor Point redevelopment — and has lower violent-crime concentrations than some inland parts of Dorchester. As with any urban neighborhood, property crime and occasional disorder incidents occur; residents benefit from frequent MBTA foot traffic around JFK/UMass and active community policing in the Dorchester (C-11) district. Visitors and new residents should take usual city precautions (lock cars, be aware after dark) and watch for hotspots several blocks inland from the peninsula.

Source: Dorchester neighborhood overviews / Boston Police district info

Columbia Point, Boston Walkability, Transit & Bike Scores

Walk Score ~76
Very Walkable (most errands can be accomplished on foot).
Transit Score ~71
Good Transit — JFK/UMass Red Line station and commuter rail/bus connections.
Bike Score ~64
Bikeable — some bike lanes and HarborWalk access, but exposed coastal winds at times.
<15 min
To downtown Boston by Red Line from JFK/UMass (to Park Street/Downtown) in about 12–15 min typical transit time.

Source: WalkScore (Columbia Point)

Columbia Point, Boston Summary

Overview

Columbia Point is a waterfront peninsula in Dorchester anchored by large civic and institutional uses — UMass Boston, the JFK Presidential Library & Museum, Harbor Point redevelopment and related campus facilities. The neighborhood blends student and faculty housing demand with market-rate and subsidized apartments, waterfront recreation (HarborWalk), and convenient Red Line access at JFK/UMass. While not as commercially dense as nearby South Boston, Columbia Point’s institutional anchors and Harbor Point redevelopment make it a unique and increasingly desirable part of Dorchester.

Key Features

  • Waterfront access: HarborWalk, coast views and easy access to waterfront parks and Carson Beach within a short drive.
  • Institutional anchors: UMass Boston and the JFK Library/Edward M. Kennedy Institute shape local activity, events and employer demand.
  • Transit convenience: JFK/UMass station (Red Line + commuter rail) gives fast downtown connections.
  • Harbor Point redevelopment: Harbor Point transformed public housing into a mixed-income, transit-oriented development — a major local housing provider.

Housing Snapshot

  • Mixed housing stock: Harbor Point apartments, smaller multifamily homes and university-adjacent rentals.
  • Rents are typically lower than central Boston neighborhoods but higher than some inland Dorchester pockets; variety of market-rate and subsidized options.
  • Strong demand tied to UMass Boston academic calendar and improved waterfront amenities.