Neighborhood
Brighton
Boston, Massachusetts US
Brighton in Boston, Massachusetts is a mid-priced, higher-yield neighborhood with very strong walkability and a moderate risk profile. Prices are about 33% below Boston and 73% above Massachusetts, while gross yield is 5.7% and prices are down 5.7% over the past year. It has walkability of 95, education in the 40th percentile, and a Red Flag score of 42.
AI Summary•Updated May 2026
Area
2.95 mi²
ZIP Code
02135
County
Suffolk County
State
Massachusetts
Redfin — median sale & volumeZillow ZORI — asking rentFEMA National Risk Index v1.20OpenStreetMap — POIFBI UCR — state crimeEPA — radon zonesEPA FRS / BTS — hazard screeningUS Census ACS / TIGER 2024
Verified Price · Median Sale
$654,806
YoY-5.7%
Gross Rental Yield
5.7%
Listed rent · ZORI annualized
Red Flag Index
Moderate
42 / 100
Walkability Score
95
OpenStreetMap POI density · national percentile
Education Score
40 / 100
Pre-pandemic SEDA (2018/19) · district proxy
AI Score
57
DistrictScore attractiveness · national model
Brighton Property Prices & Rental Yield
Verified Redfin sale data and Zillow ZORI asking rent for Brighton, Boston.
Unlock the Brighton 12-month price trend
See the full Verified vs Listed price history — free with a DistrictScore account.
Sign in to view — freeMarket Economics Snapshot
May 2026| Metric | Value | YoY |
|---|---|---|
| Median Sale Price | $654,806 | -5.7% |
| Price / Sq Ft (Verified) | $660/sqft | +3.2% |
| Asking Rent (Median) | $3,130/mo | +3.8% |
| Gross Rental Yield | 5.7% | — |
| Liquidity Score | 29 / 100 | Low |
| Homes Sold (Period) | 79 | -24.8% |
Is Brighton Safe? Natural-Hazard Risk
FEMA National Risk Index composite across eight hazards, plus inherited Massachusetts crime context.
Unlock the Brighton hazard breakdown
See all eight FEMA hazard scores — free with a DistrictScore account.
Sign in to view — free What Stands Out AI Insight
Above-average gross rental yield at 5.7%
Highly walkable neighborhood — score 95/100
Active transaction volume — 79 homes sold last period
Dense amenities — 105 dining & 26 grocery options nearby
Hurricane risk is Very High (80/100)
Insights are generated from Brighton's live DistrictScore metrics.
Brighton Environment & Safety
Satellite PM2.5 air-quality history, FBI UCR crime trend (Massachusetts-level, the finest official aggregation), EPA radon potential and point-source hazard screening.
Massachusetts Crime Trend
FBI UCR20132024
All crimes / 1k
Violent / 1k
| Year | Crimes / 1k | Violent / 1k | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 14.3 | 3.1 | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 14.4 | 3.2 | +4.2% |
| 2022 | 14.0 | 3.2 | +7.4% |
| 2021 | 13.0 | 3.0 | -3.1% |
| 2020 | 13.6 | 3.1 | -9.8% |
| 2019 | 15.1 | 3.3 | — |
Reported at the state level — the finest official US crime aggregation; Brighton inherits the Massachusetts figures.
Radon Potential
EPAZone 3
Zone 3 — Lowest potential · Brighton
EPA radon zones estimate indoor radon potential county-wide (Zone 1 highest, Zone 3 lowest). Testing is recommended in all zones.
Environmental Hazards
EPA / BTSSuperfund (NPL)0.1 kmVery High
Industrial odor4 nearbyVery High
Point-source screening near Brighton: EPA Superfund National Priorities List & Facility Registry (2026), BTS aviation noise (2020, 24-hour average level). Superfund shows distance to the nearest listed site; odor shows detected sources within the screening radius. Only detected sources are listed; the bar shows severity vs. all U.S. neighborhoods.
Walkability & Amenities in Brighton
Amenity density and pedestrian access from OpenStreetMap points of interest.
Walkability & Amenities
OpenStreetMap POI95
Walker's Paradise
Walkability Score
26
Grocery
105
Dining
25
Schools
4
Universities
5
Hospitals
8
Pharmacies
45
Parks
15
Rail Transit
0
Coworking
POI counts are amenities within Brighton's boundary plus a 400 m walk buffer. Rail transit excludes bus stops.
Brighton vs Boston vs Massachusetts
How Brighton benchmarks against its city and state medians.
Unlock the Brighton benchmark
Compare Brighton against Boston and Massachusetts medians — free with a DistrictScore account.
Sign in to view — freeBuying Property in the US as a Foreigner
Federal & Massachusetts tax facts for non-resident buyers, plus the latest local market news.
Buying as a Foreigner
US Tax & OwnershipApplies to everyone7
Capital Gains (Federal)
Long-term capital gains taxed federally at 0/15/20%, plus a 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax on higher incomes (2026).
Property Tax
Property tax: ~0.95% average effective rate (statewide average; set and collected locally).
State Income Tax
State income tax up to 5% (+4% surtax over $1M); rental income is taxed at these rates.
State Capital Gains
Capital gains are taxed as ordinary income at state rates.
Transfer Tax
Real estate transfer tax: $4.56 per $1,000.
Assessment Cap
No Proposition 13-style assessment cap; property is reassessed at market value.
Mansion Tax / Rent Control
No statewide mansion tax or statewide rent control.
US citizens & tax residents7
Primary-Home Exclusion
Selling your main home: exclude up to $250k of gain (single) / $500k (married) if you owned and lived there 2 of the last 5 years.
1031 Like-Kind Exchange
A 1031 like-kind exchange defers capital gains tax on investment property; 45 days to identify, 180 to close. Real estate only.
Depreciation Recapture
Residential rentals depreciate over 27.5 years; on sale, recaptured depreciation is taxed up to 25% (Section 1250).
Mortgage Interest Deduction
Mortgage interest is deductible on up to $750k of home debt. The SALT cap rose to $40,000 for 2025-2029 (reverts to $10k in 2030).
Opportunity Zones
Opportunity Zones are now permanent (2025): reinvested capital gains get deferral plus a basis step-up, and are tax-free after 10 years.
Rental Income (Resident)
Rental income is reported on Schedule E; passive-loss rules (Section 469) limit deducting rental losses against other income.
1031 State Conformity
Conforms to 1031 but tracks deferred in-state gain after an out-of-state exchange.
Foreign buyers (non-residents)5
FIRPTA (Foreign Sellers)
FIRPTA: the buyer withholds 15% of the gross sale price when a nonresident sells US property. It is an advance deposit, not the final tax.
Non-Resident Capital Gains
Nonresident sellers pay US capital gains tax (generally 15-20%) on the net gain via Form 1040-NR; FIRPTA withholding is credited.
Non-Resident Rental Tax
Nonresident rental income is taxed at 30% of gross by default, or on net income at graduated rates via a Section 871(d) election (W-8ECI).
Estate Tax (Non-Resident)
Nonresidents get only a $60,000 US estate-tax exemption (vs $13.99M for residents); US property above it is taxed up to 40%. Treaties may help.
ITIN Requirement
Nonresidents without an SSN need an ITIN (Form W-7) to file US tax returns, claim FIRPTA refunds, and report rental income.
Talk to a US real-estate tax advisor
FIRPTA, ITIN & Massachusetts property-tax guidance for foreign buyers
Brighton Real Estate FAQ
Brighton in Boston, Massachusetts has a relatively high gross yield of 5.7%. Prices are about 33% below Boston and 73% above Massachusetts, while prices are down 5.7% over the past year. The Red Flag score is 42.
Neighborhoods near Brighton
Compare Brighton with nearby neighborhoods in Boston.
Unlock deeper insights on Brighton
Deeper data. Smarter decisions. Stronger returns.
Full Risk Reports
Tract-level hazards
Investment Score
AI-driven analysis
Export & Reports
PDF & Excel
Priority Support
Fast-track help
Get Pro Access7-day free trial. Cancel anytime.