The Mather School (Mather Elementary)
⭐ 3/10 PublicSchoolReview / NCES data
1 Parish Street, Dorchester, MA 02122
🧭 In-neighborhood (Meetinghouse Hill / Fields Corner area)
Apartments to rent in Dorchester, Boston
Dorchester (often called “Dot”) is Boston’s largest neighborhood by area and a diverse collection of village centers stretching from Columbia Point to Lower Mills. This guide covers rental price ranges, the ZIP codes that cover Dorchester (02121, 02122, 02124, 02125 and parts of 02126), transit access, schools, parks and what to expect when living here.
Nearby Neighborhoods Comparison
| Neighborhoods | Cost | Schools | Safety | Walkability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dorchester | Average | Fair | Less Safe | Good |
| South Boston | High | Good | Safe | Excellent |
| Roxbury | Average | Fair | Less Safe | Good |
| Jamaica Plain | High | Good | Safe | Excellent |
| Mattapan | Low | Fair | Less Safe | Fair |
Excellent/Good
Average
Poor/Less Safe
Dorchester, Boston Rental Prices
Studio
$1,200 – $3,000
1 bedroom
$1,400 – $3,500
2 bedroom
$1,800 – $4,200
3 bedroom
$2,500 – $6,000
Rentals available in Dorchester, Boston
Dorchester, Boston Schools & Education
Top Public Schools
Codman Academy Charter Public School
⭐ Not rated (charter school profile varies by source) Codman Academy / state profiles
637 Washington St, Dorchester Center, MA 02124
🧭 In-neighborhood (Codman Square)
Jeremiah E. Burke High School (7–12)
⭐ 2/10 GreatSchools (school performance indicators)
60 Washington St, Dorchester, MA 02121
🧭 In-neighborhood (Uphams Corner / Four Corners area)
TechBoston Academy (BPS 6–12)
⭐ Varies by source Boston Public Schools listings
9 Peacevale Rd, Dorchester, MA 02124 (Dorchester Education Complex)
🧭 In-neighborhood (Codman Square / Dorchester Ave corridor)
Top Private Schools
St. Brendan School (parochial)
⭐ Varies NCES / local directories
29 Rita Rd, Dorchester, MA 02124
🧭 ~1.0–1.5 mi (Lower Mills/Neponset area)
Epiphany School (Catholic, middle grades)
⭐ Varies NCES / local directories
154 Centre St, Dorchester Center, MA 02124
🧭 In-neighborhood (Dorchester Center)
St John Paul II Catholic Academy (Lower Mills campus)
⭐ Varies NCES / diocesan listings
2222 Dorchester Ave, Dorchester Center, MA 02124
🧭 Lower Mills / Neponset area
Source: Boston Public Schools, Codman Academy site, GreatSchools / PublicSchoolReview
Dorchester, Boston Safety & Crime Overview
Less Safe
Crime and safety in Dorchester vary substantially by subarea. Parts of Dorchester (certain corridors and pockets) report higher violent-crime and shooting incidents than the city average, while other pockets — village centers like Savin Hill, Ashmont and parts of Columbia Point — are relatively calmer and see more active community policing and neighborhood investment. Because Dorchester spans multiple police districts, crime statistics must be interpreted at the village/district level rather than across the whole neighborhood.
Source: Aggregated local crime analyses & neighborhood crime pages
Dorchester, Boston Walkability, Transit & Bike Scores
Walk Score ~78
Very walkable to walkable depending on village (Fields Corner, Savin Hill, Ashmont and Columbia Point score higher).
Transit Score ~70
Excellent/Good transit access — multiple Red Line stops and MBTA bus/Fairmount commuter-rail access.
Bike Score ~70
Generally bikeable with growing bike infrastructure on main corridors; local conditions vary by street.
15-25 min
To downtown (Downtown Crossing / South Station) by Red Line or commuter-rail/fairmount + T transfers depending on origin.
Dorchester, Boston Summary
Overview
Dorchester is a large, diverse Boston neighborhood made up of smaller village centers — Columbia Point, Savin Hill, Fields Corner, Codman Square, Lower Mills and others. It offers more housing variety (older triple-deckers, new luxury conversions, waterfront units at Columbia Point) and generally lower rents than some inner-core neighborhoods while retaining direct MBTA Red Line access and a growing dining and cultural scene.
Key Features
- Diverse neighborhoods: Multiple village centers with distinct characters — from Columbia Point’s waterfront and UMass Boston to Codman Square’s community corridor and Savin Hill’s Red Line access.
- Transit connections: Several Red Line stations (JFK/UMass, Savin Hill, Fields Corner, Shawmut, Ashmont) plus Fairmount Line access in parts of Dorchester.
- Parks & waterfront: Franklin Park, Columbia Point coastal access and Neponset-area green spaces are major recreational assets.
- Growing rental market: A mix of older, more affordable housing and recent developers adding renovated market-rate units near transit.
Housing Snapshot
- Mix of triple-deckers, mid-rise condos, new construction and waterfront conversions.
- Rents are typically lower than Back Bay/South End but higher than outer-suburban averages; units near Red Line stations command premiums.
- High rental turnover in village centers during peak season (May–September).