Commuting to Back Bay by MBTA
Back Bay is its own employment centre and its own commuter rail station, which makes it far more reachable from the west and south than downtown is.
Timetable-based, not distance-modeled. Scheduled MBTA journey time from each town’s best station to Back Bay, including transfers, for services arriving between 07:00 and 09:30. It is computed from the MBTA’s published timetable, not modeled from distance. It does not include getting to your origin station or the walk at the far end, and it does not cover driving. Only towns with a station appear: 81 of our 223 — and Boston contains Back Bay rather than commuting to it, which is why 80 are ranked below.
How far the network actually gets you
| Journey you will accept | Towns | …with Tier 1–2 schools | …under $900k | Cheapest of them |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Within 30 minutes | 18 | 8 | 7 | Chelsea, $650k |
| Within 45 minutes | 34 | 14 | 17 | Brockton, $550k |
| Within 60 minutes | 55 | 22 | 30 | Lowell, $525k |
| Within 75 minutes | 66 | 27 | 35 | Lawrence, $500k |
34 towns put you in Back Bay within 45 minutes on a scheduled service, and 14 of those have a Tier 1–2 school district. Push to an hour and it is 55 towns and 22 strong districts. Only 18 manage it in half an hour.
Strong schools within 45 minutes
The list families usually want, and it is short. These are the Tier 1–2 districts with a scheduled journey of 45 minutes or less.
- Cambridge — 12 min from Kendall/MIT · $1.7M · Tier 2 · tax ≈$11,300
- Newton — 20 min from Newtonville · $1.9M · Tier 1 · tax ≈$18,400
- Westwood — 24 min from Route 128 · $1.4M · Tier 2 · tax ≈$17,500
- Brookline — 26 min from Saint Mary's Street · $2.05M · Tier 1 · tax ≈$21,000
- Needham — 28 min from Hersey · $1.85M · Tier 1 · tax ≈$20,000
- Sharon — 30 min from Sharon · $950k · Tier 2 · tax ≈$16,600
- Winchester — 30 min from Wedgemere · $1.85M · Tier 1 · tax ≈$20,500
- Belmont — 30 min from Belmont · $1.9M · Tier 1 · tax ≈$21,900
- Wellesley — 32 min from Wellesley Farms · $2.25M · Tier 1 · tax ≈$22,900
- Milton — 34 min from Milton · $1.35M · Tier 2 · tax ≈$15,900
- Reading — 40 min from Reading · $975k · Tier 2 · tax ≈$10,700
- Swampscott — 41 min from Swampscott · $1.05M · Tier 2 · tax ≈$12,100
- Natick — 44 min from Natick Center · $1M · Tier 2 · tax ≈$12,200
- Hingham — 45 min from West Hingham · $1.65M · Tier 2 · tax ≈$17,300
The cheapest towns within 45 minutes
Sorted by price rather than speed, because at some point the budget is the binding constraint.
| # | Town | Typical | Fastest | Station | 4BR | Schools | Est. tax bill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brockton | 45 min | 42 min | Montello | $550k | Tier 4 | ≈$6,400 |
| 2 | Chelsea | 22 min | 17 min | Box District | $650k | Tier 4 | ≈$7,500 |
| 3 | Lynn | 38 min | 33 min | Lynn Interim | $650k | Tier 4 | ≈$6,700 |
| 4 | Randolph | 39 min | 36 min | Holbrook/Randolph | $650k | Tier 4 | ≈$7,500 |
| 5 | Revere | 21 min | 18 min | Beachmont | $675k | Tier 4 | ≈$6,000 |
| 6 | Malden | 19 min | 19 min | Malden Center | $700k | Tier 4 | ≈$8,000 |
| 7 | Weymouth | 34 min | 33 min | Weymouth Landing/East Braintree | $725k | Tier 3 | ≈$7,300 |
| 8 | Mansfield | 39 min | 33 min | Mansfield | $775k | Tier 3 | ≈$10,100 |
Every town with an MBTA route to Back Bay
All 75 towns with regular service, fastest first. “Typical” is the median scheduled journey across peak departures; “fastest” is the quickest single service.
| # | Town | Typical | Fastest | Station | 4BR | Schools | Est. tax bill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cambridge | 12 min | 10 min | Kendall/MIT | $1.7M | Tier 2 | ≈$11,300 |
| 2 | Somerville | 14 min | 14 min | Assembly | $1.25M | Tier 3 | ≈$11,200 |
| 3 | Medford | 16 min | 16 min | Wellington | $900k | Tier 3 | ≈$7,800 |
| 4 | Malden | 19 min | 19 min | Malden Center | $700k | Tier 4 | ≈$8,000 |
| 5 | Newton | 20 min | 16 min | Newtonville | $1.9M | Tier 1 | ≈$18,400 |
| 6 | Revere | 21 min | 18 min | Beachmont | $675k | Tier 4 | ≈$6,000 |
| 7 | Chelsea | 22 min | 17 min | Box District | $650k | Tier 4 | ≈$7,500 |
| 8 | Dedham | 23 min | 23 min | Endicott | $850k | Tier 3 | ≈$10,500 |
| 9 | Quincy | 24 min | 20 min | North Quincy | $875k | Tier 3 | ≈$10,300 |
| 10 | Melrose | 24 min | 23 min | Wyoming Hill | $950k | Tier 3 | ≈$10,900 |
| 11 | Westwood | 24 min | 19 min | Route 128 | $1.4M | Tier 2 | ≈$17,500 |
| 12 | Canton | 26 min | 24 min | Canton Junction | $825k | Tier 3 | ≈$8,000 |
| 13 | Brookline | 26 min | 24 min | Saint Mary's Street | $2.05M | Tier 1 | ≈$21,000 |
| 14 | Needham | 28 min | 27 min | Hersey | $1.85M | Tier 1 | ≈$20,000 |
| 15 | Wakefield | 30 min | 29 min | Greenwood | $875k | Tier 3 | ≈$10,300 |
| 16 | Sharon | 30 min | 24 min | Sharon | $950k | Tier 2 | ≈$16,600 |
| 17 | Winchester | 30 min | 27 min | Wedgemere | $1.85M | Tier 1 | ≈$20,500 |
| 18 | Belmont | 30 min | 28 min | Belmont | $1.9M | Tier 1 | ≈$21,900 |
| 19 | Norwood | 32 min | 32 min | Norwood Depot | $800k | Tier 3 | ≈$7,900 |
| 20 | Braintree | 32 min | 28 min | Braintree | $875k | Tier 3 | ≈$8,800 |
| 21 | Wellesley | 32 min | 27 min | Wellesley Farms | $2.25M | Tier 1 | ≈$22,900 |
| 22 | Weymouth | 34 min | 33 min | Weymouth Landing/East Braintree | $725k | Tier 3 | ≈$7,300 |
| 23 | Milton | 34 min | 26 min | Milton | $1.35M | Tier 2 | ≈$15,900 |
| 24 | Lynn | 38 min | 33 min | Lynn Interim | $650k | Tier 4 | ≈$6,700 |
| 25 | Randolph | 39 min | 36 min | Holbrook/Randolph | $650k | Tier 4 | ≈$7,500 |
| 26 | Mansfield | 39 min | 33 min | Mansfield | $775k | Tier 3 | ≈$10,100 |
| 27 | Woburn | 39 min | 36 min | Anderson/Woburn | $825k | Tier 3 | ≈$7,500 |
| 28 | Reading | 40 min | 38 min | Reading | $975k | Tier 2 | ≈$10,700 |
| 29 | Swampscott | 41 min | 36 min | Swampscott | $1.05M | Tier 2 | ≈$12,100 |
| 30 | Wilmington | 43 min | 40 min | Wilmington | $775k | Tier 3 | ≈$8,800 |
| 31 | Walpole | 43 min | 42 min | Walpole | $875k | Tier 3 | ≈$10,900 |
| 32 | Natick | 44 min | 40 min | Natick Center | $1M | Tier 2 | ≈$12,200 |
| 33 | Brockton | 45 min | 42 min | Montello | $550k | Tier 4 | ≈$6,400 |
| 34 | Hingham | 45 min | 43 min | West Hingham | $1.65M | Tier 2 | ≈$17,300 |
| 35 | Abington | 46 min | 44 min | Abington | $650k | Tier 3 | ≈$9,100 |
| 36 | Weston | 46 min | 43 min | Kendal Green | $2.9M | Tier 1 | ≈$33,400 |
| 37 | Salem | 48 min | 43 min | Salem | $725k | Tier 3 | ≈$7,800 |
| 38 | Attleboro | 49 min | 43 min | Attleboro | $620k | Tier 3 | ≈$7,600 |
| 39 | Whitman | 50 min | 48 min | Whitman | $600k | Tier 3 | ≈$8,100 |
| 40 | Ashland | 50 min | 46 min | Ashland | $850k | Tier 3 | ≈$11,500 |
| 41 | Norfolk | 50 min | 49 min | Norfolk | $950k | Tier 2 | ≈$14,300 |
| 42 | Billerica | 51 min | 48 min | North Billerica | $700k | Tier 3 | ≈$8,100 |
| 43 | Framingham | 51 min | 35 min | Framingham | $800k | Tier 3 | ≈$9,500 |
| 44 | Beverly | 52 min | 47 min | Beverly | $850k | Tier 3 | ≈$9,200 |
| 45 | Lincoln | 52 min | 50 min | Lincoln | $2.5M | Tier 1 | ≈$31,300 |
| 46 | Waltham | 53 min | 35 min | Waltham | $1M | Tier 3 | ≈$10,300 |
| 47 | Cohasset | 53 min | 51 min | Cohasset | $1.6M | Tier 2 | ≈$19,200 |
| 48 | Southborough | 54 min | 52 min | Southborough | $1.25M | Tier 1 | ≈$17,500 |
| 49 | Hanson | 55 min | 53 min | Hanson | $650k | Tier 3 | ≈$9,400 |
| 50 | Franklin | 57 min | 56 min | Franklin | $850k | Tier 2 | ≈$9,700 |
| 51 | Lowell | 58 min | 56 min | Lowell | $525k | Tier 4 | ≈$6,000 |
| 52 | Scituate | 59 min | 59 min | North Scituate | $1.1M | Tier 2 | ≈$12,700 |
| 53 | Concord | 59 min | 56 min | Concord | $2.2M | Tier 1 | ≈$28,600 |
| 54 | Bridgewater | 60 min | 57 min | Bridgewater | $625k | Tier 3 | ≈$7,500 |
| 55 | Halifax | 60 min | 59 min | Halifax | $625k | Tier 3 | ≈$9,100 |
| 56 | Hamilton | 62 min | 57 min | Hamilton/Wenham | $950k | Tier 2 | ≈$13,800 |
| 57 | Lawrence | 67 min | 59 min | Lawrence | $500k | Tier 4 | ≈$4,300 |
| 58 | Acton | 68 min | 49 min | South Acton | $1.1M | Tier 1 | ≈$17,900 |
| 59 | Ipswich | 69 min | 63 min | Ipswich | $900k | Tier 3 | ≈$10,400 |
| 60 | Manchester-by-the-Sea | 69 min | 65 min | Manchester | $1.5M | Tier 2 | ≈$14,300 |
| 61 | Grafton | 70 min | 66 min | Grafton | $725k | Tier 3 | ≈$9,900 |
| 62 | Kingston | 70 min | 68 min | Kingston | $800k | Tier 3 | ≈$10,800 |
| 63 | Westborough | 70 min | 61 min | Westborough | $950k | Tier 1 | ≈$15,100 |
| 64 | Middleborough | 71 min | 68 min | Middleborough | $525k | Tier 4 | ≈$6,900 |
| 65 | Littleton | 73 min | 55 min | Littleton/Route 495 | $900k | Tier 2 | ≈$13,100 |
| 66 | Rowley | 75 min | 69 min | Rowley | $800k | Tier 3 | ≈$10,400 |
| 67 | Worcester | 79 min | 64 min | Worcester | $550k | Tier 4 | ≈$7,300 |
| 68 | Ayer | 80 min | 63 min | Ayer | $550k | Tier 4 | ≈$6,900 |
| 69 | Taunton | 82 min | 79 min | East Taunton | $575k | Tier 4 | ≈$6,400 |
| 70 | Newburyport | 82 min | 76 min | Newburyport | $1.1M | Tier 2 | ≈$11,600 |
| 71 | Leominster | 91 min | 76 min | North Leominster | $500k | Tier 4 | ≈$6,800 |
| 72 | Fitchburg | 98 min | 83 min | Fitchburg | $420k | Tier 4 | ≈$5,600 |
| 73 | New Bedford | 100 min | 97 min | Church Street | $475k | Tier 4 | ≈$5,200 |
| 74 | Freetown | 101 min | 94 min | Freetown | $625k | Tier 3 | ≈$7,500 |
| 75 | Fall River | 108 min | 101 min | Fall River Depot | $450k | Tier 4 | ≈$5,200 |
Towns where service barely runs
These 5 towns have a station and a scheduled journey, but fewer than three peak departures — flag stops and end-of-line halts. The time is real; treating it as a commute is not, because missing one service can mean an hour.
| Town | Typical | Station | Peak departures | 4BR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stoughton | 35 min | Stoughton | 2 | $675k |
| Andover | 51 min | Ballardvale | 2 | $1M |
| Foxborough | 52 min | Foxboro | 1 | $800k |
| Haverhill | 70 min | Bradford | 2 | $625k |
| Gloucester | 74 min | West Gloucester | 2 | $875k |
What this page cannot tell you
- It is a timetable, not a journey. Add your walk, drive or bus to the station at one end and the walk to your desk at the other. For a park-and-ride town that can be fifteen minutes before you board.
- Scheduled is not actual. These are the times the MBTA publishes. They are not adjusted for how reliably each line keeps them, and reliability varies a lot by line.
- Driving is not here at all. Traffic-aware routing needs a data source we do not have, and we would rather leave the column out than model it. If you will drive, treat this page as silent on your commute.
- 142 of our 223 towns have no station and so cannot appear, however good a place they might be to live.
Transit times computed from the MBTA GTFS feed for 2026-08-05, a weekday with normal service. Prices, tax bills and school tiers are ours — see the methodology. Data last reviewed .
