Apartments to rent in Longwood Medical Area, Boston

Longwood Medical Area (LMA) is Boston’s dense medical and research district centered on Longwood Avenue, home to Harvard Medical School, major hospitals and multiple graduate institutions. The area is extremely transit-accessible and walkable, and is commonly associated with ZIPs 02115, 02120 and parts of 02215.

Nearby Neighborhoods Comparison

NeighborhoodsCostSchoolsSafetyWalkability
Longwood Medical Area High Excellent Safe Excellent
Fenway High Good Safe Excellent
Mission Hill Average Fair Safe Good
Back Bay High Good Safe Excellent
Kenmore / Kenmore Square High Good Safe Excellent
Excellent/Good
Average
Poor/Less Safe

Source: Market listings (local listings & aggregation sites)

Longwood Medical Area, Boston Rental Prices

Studio
$1,800 – $2,600
1 bedroom
$2,300 – $3,500
2 bedroom
$3,400 – $5,000
3 bedroom
$4,500 – $7,500

Source: Market listings (local listings & aggregation sites)

Rentals available in Longwood Medical Area, Boston

Longwood Medical Area, Boston Schools & Education

Top Public Schools

Boston Latin School

8/10 GreatSchools
78 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA 02115
🧭 In-neighborhood / ~0.1–0.3 mi to core Longwood institutions

Fenway High School

2/10 GreatSchools
67 Alleghany St, Boston, MA 02120
🧭 ~0.6 mi (Mission Hill side); serves many local families

Top Private Schools

Source: Boston Public Schools, GreatSchools, institutional websites

Longwood Medical Area, Boston Safety & Crime Overview

Safe

Longwood is generally considered safer than many Boston neighborhoods — the area is busy during the day with hospital staff, students and patients and benefits from hospital security and regular MBTA foot traffic. Property theft reports (theft from vehicles, package theft) are the most common complaints; violent crime is lower than in several nearby neighborhoods but occasional incidents near hospital entrances or Brigham Circle have occurred. Residents and staff are advised to use common-sense urban precautions (lock cars, be alert at night, use lit routes).

Source: Neighborhood crime & reporting sites (Niche), local reporting (WBUR), institutional advisories

Longwood Medical Area, Boston Walkability, Transit & Bike Scores

Walk Score ~92
Walker's Paradise (many errands do not require a car).
Transit Score ~89
Excellent transit (MBTA Green Line E & D branches, numerous bus routes, institutional shuttles).
Bike Score ~77
Very bikeable — bike lanes and greenway access to Fenway/Back Bay.
<15 min
To Downtown Boston (Park Street / Government Center) by Green Line: ~10–15 min depending on branch and transfers.

Source: WalkScore.com, MBTA station listings, institutional directions pages

Longwood Medical Area, Boston Summary

Overview

Longwood Medical Area is Boston’s world-class medical, research and teaching cluster centered on Longwood Avenue. It’s highly walkable and exceptionally transit-connected, with a daytime population dominated by clinicians, researchers, students and patients. Housing is expensive relative to city averages, but the neighborhood offers immediate access to major hospitals, academic institutions and the Emerald Necklace parks.

Key Features

  • Medical & research hub: Home to Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women’s, Boston Children’s and multiple research institutes.
  • Transit & walkability: Outstanding walk score and multiple Green Line stops make commuting downtown and across the city easy.
  • Parks nearby: Easy access to Back Bay Fens and Riverway (Emerald Necklace) for outdoor recreation.
  • Institutional employment: Large, stable employment base (hospitals, universities) supporting rental demand.

Housing Snapshot

  • High demand from medical staff and graduate students; many rental units targeted to professionals.
  • Limited street parking; institutional parking garages available at a premium.
  • Mix of older triple-deckers and newer institutional housing/high-rise apartments.