Apartments to rent in Watertown, Watertown

Watertown (Middlesex County) is a compact, well-connected Boston suburb with a strong local downtown (Watertown Square), the large mixed-use Arsenal Yards development, riverside greenways and a mix of triple-deckers, mid-rise apartments and newer luxury buildings. This guide covers rental prices, schools, safety, transit and the ZIP codes that cover Watertown (02471, 02472, 02477).

Nearby Neighborhoods Comparison

NeighborhoodsCostSchoolsSafetyWalkability
Watertown High Good Safe Excellent
Bemis Average Good Very Safe Good
Watertown Square High Good Safe Excellent
Arsenal Yards / East Watertown High Good Safe Excellent
West End Average Good Very Safe Good
Excellent/Good
Average
Poor/Less Safe

Source: Zillow Rentals

Watertown, Watertown Rental Prices

Studio
$1,800 – $3,000
1 bedroom
$2,100 – $3,200
2 bedroom
$2,600 – $3,800
3 bedroom
$3,200 – $5,000

Source: Zillow Rentals

Rentals available in Watertown, Watertown

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Watertown, Watertown Schools & Education

Top Public Schools

Watertown High School

⭐ 8/10 PublicSchoolReview / District profiles
27 Westminster Ave, Watertown, MA 02472
🧭 In-neighborhood (Watertown Square area)

Watertown Middle School

⭐ 7/10 District profile
68 Waverley Ave, Watertown, MA 02472
🧭 ~0.5 mi from Watertown Square

Hosmer Elementary School

⭐ 8/10 GreatSchools / District listings
39 Warren St, Watertown, MA 02472
🧭 In-neighborhood / convenient walking distance

Top Private Schools

Perkins School for the Blind

⭐ Not rated Perkins / MAAPS
175 North Beacon St, Watertown, MA 02472
🧭 In-neighborhood (East Watertown / near Charles River)

Atrium School

⭐ Not rated NCES
69 Grove St, Watertown, MA 02472
🧭 In-neighborhood

St. Stephen's Armenian Elementary School

⭐ Not rated NCES
47 Nichols Ave, Watertown, MA 02472
🧭 In-neighborhood

Source: Watertown Public Schools / Massachusetts DOE

Watertown, Watertown Safety & Crime Overview

Safe

Watertown is generally considered a safe inner-suburb with relatively low violent-crime rates but noticeable property-crime incidents (the latter concentrated in busy commercial/retail zones). FBI UCR-derived totals show that property crimes (thefts, larceny) are the majority of incidents; violent crime counts are modest compared with larger neighboring cities. Typical precautions are standard — secure bike storage, lock cars, and be alert around busy retail/commuter lots.

Source: FBI UCR (compiled)

Watertown, Watertown Walkability, Transit & Bike Scores

Walk Score ~82
Walker's Paradise / Very Walkable (scores vary by block; Watertown Square and Arsenal Yards score highest).
Transit Score ~52
Good Transit — multiple MBTA bus routes into Cambridge/Boston; no rapid rail inside town but frequent bus connections to Red Line at Harvard/Kenmore and Green Line connections.
Bike Score ~64
Very Bikeable — Charles River Greenway and local bike lanes make cycling practical for many commutes.
<30-40 min
To downtown Boston via MBTA bus to Harvard/Red Line or bus+commuter-rail connections; off-peak drives can be ~15-25 min depending on traffic.

Source: RentCafe / WalkScore aggregation

Watertown, Watertown Summary

Overview

Watertown is a compact, transit-linked suburb immediately west of Cambridge with a recently revitalized riverside/east-end (Arsenal Yards), good public schools, and a mix of housing from older triple-deckers to new mid-rise luxury apartments. It’s popular with commuters who want shorter Boston access times than outlying suburbs while keeping a slightly more suburban feel.

Key Features

  • Arsenal Yards retail + dining: A major new mixed-use center with shops, restaurants, Roche Bros., entertainment and new apartment buildings.
  • Charles River access & parks: Riverside greenways and Arsenal Park give good outdoor options close to town.
  • Good local schools: A full K–12 public district plus notable private/specialty schools (Perkins) and independent schools nearby.
  • Strong commuter connections: Multiple MBTA bus routes connect to Harvard/Kenmore and onward to downtown Boston.

Housing Snapshot

  • Mix of older triple-deckers and newer mid-rise / luxury rental buildings (notably in Arsenal Yards).
  • Rents are higher than the national average but often somewhat lower than downtown Cambridge/Boston equivalents for comparable square footage.
  • Covering ZIPs: 02471, 02472, 02477 — inventory and price can vary significantly by block.

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