We explore the most gentrified neighborhoods in Boston. Some of these before and after photos via Google street view are astonishing.

Gentrification occurs when there is a substantial gap between the current value of a place, and its potential value. More capital is invested into the neighborhood and the type of people who live there change over time.

A positive aspect of gentrification is that neighborhoods become much more dense with improved infrastructure like bike lanes and public parks. Who doesn’t love a walkable city?

A negative aspect of gentrification is the potential displacement of current residents due to rising property taxes and house prices. Where is all the affordable housing?

I think it’s normal to only envision the national mall, White House and the nation’s Capitol when you think about DC.

But DC is so much more - there are over 130 neighborhoods in the District of Columbia.

and actually had the highest percentage of gentrified neighborhoods—of any city in the nation between 2000 and 2013, according to a new study by the National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC).

Gentrification in the district started accelerating in the early 2000s when then-Mayor Anthony Williams set a goal of reversing decades of population decline by bringing in new residents. The district then implemented neighborhood investment strategies that would, in turn, attract working adults.

Washington, DC’s population steadily increased between 2000 and 2020, growing by over 120,000 residents

The median home value has gone from $445k in 2015 to $625k in 2023.

With all that said - it is still a tremendous value compared to the high cost of living in Boston or NYC.

5 Most gentrified neighborhoods in Boston
Shaw
Columbia Heights
H Street Corridor
Navy Yard
Logan Circle

Image Credit
https://flic.kr/p/qvhmQj
https://flic.kr/p/xdBfYE


Music Credit
Music: Mystics
Musician: Jeff Kaale

Resource Credit
https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/...
https://www.legalaiddc.org/blogs/new-...
https://jetsettimes.com/countries/usa...
https://www.zillow.com/home-values/41...
https://ncrc.org/gentrification/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/...
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/...